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THE 


PATRIOT  BOY; 

OR, 

THE  LIFE  AITD   CAREER 


MAJOR-GENERAL  ORMSBT  M.  MITCHEL 


BY 

KEY.  P.  C.  HEADLEY, 

ATTTHOE  OF  "  NAPOLEOiN-,"   "EJrPEESS  JOSEPHEST:,"   "HEEO   BOY,"  ETa 


NEW  YORK : 

WILLIAM  H.  APPLETON,  92  GRAND  STREET. 

1865. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1864,  by 

WM.  H.  APPLET027, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Southern  District  of  New  York. 


J.  B.  S. 

TEE  WIDOW'S  OITLY  AITD  DUTIFUL  SOK, 

A>T)   ALL    OTHER   YOUNG   AMERICANS, 

WHO    EMULATE    THE    EXAMPLE    OF    THOSE     NOBLE    MEN   WHO 

FOUNDED,  PERPETUATED,  AND  HAVE  DEFENDED 

THE     REPUBLIC, 

THIS   BRIEF  RECORD    OF   A   TRUE    HERO 

IS   DEDICATED, 

"WITH  A  WARM  INTEREST  IN  THEIR  WELL-BEING, 

BY   THE 

AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 

The  ''  Young  American's  Library  "  would  indeed 
be  wanting  in  one  of  tbe  most  instructive  and  en- 
couraging examples  of  the  highest  success  ui  the 
midst  of  disheartening  trials,  of  a  resolute  will  and 
hopeful  spirit,  without  the  life  of  General  Mitchel. 

This  volume  is  from  authentic  sources  ;  and  it  is 
believed  that  in  no  important  statement  will  the 
truthfuhiess  of  the  narrative  be  questioned.  Still 
the  portraiture  drawn  must  fall  below  the  splendid 
original.  For,  while  th§  records  of  his  life  are  not 
full  as  we  could  wish,  and  as  the  "  great  departed  " 
intended  they  should  be  for  the  sake  of  his  family, 
it  is  no  idle  task  to  present,  with  fidelit}^,  a  life  and 
character  in  successful  activity  and  moral  excellence 
so  far  above  that  of  the  majority  of  distinguished  men. 

Some  latitude  has  been  taken  in  the  introduction 
of  incidents  and  explanations,  which,  if  not  directly 
connected  with  General  MitcheFs  career,  shed  light 
upon  the  strong  points  in  his  nature,  and  on  the 
conflict  in  which  he  sacrliiced  his  noble  life. 


b  PEEFACE. 

The  autlior  is  indebted  to  Abbott's  "  History  of 
tlie  Kebellion,"  Pittinger's  "  Daring  and  Suffering," 
and  to  those  who  knew  and  loved  General  Mitchel, 
for  many  important  facts. 

Brief  extracts  illustrative  of  his  brilliant  oratory, 
and  remarkable  power  to  make  astronomical  science 
simple  and  attractive  to  the  common  mind,  are  taken 
from  his  "  Sidereal  and  Planetary  Worlds,"  "  Popu- 
lar Astronomy,"  and  the  "  Bible  and  Astronomy," 
the  only  published  works  of  the  lamented  author. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  the  delightful  task  of 
writing  the  biography  has  been  to  give  interest,  and 
adapt  to  the  juvenile  mind,  that  portion  of  it  which 
relates  to  his  scientific  career,  without  resorting  to 
imaginary  facts  or  conversations. 

It  is  devoutly  hoped  that  the  narrative  may 
stimulate  to  manly  effort.,  and  Christian  fidelity, 
many  youthful  hearts  in  our  land  of  "fiery  trials," 
and  of  a  glorious  futm-e. 


NOTE. 


The  next  volume  in  the  "  Young  American's  Library  of 
Modern  Heroes  "  will  be  the  "Miner  Boy  and  his  Monitor," 
or  the  extraordinary  life  and  achievements  of  Captain  John 
Ericsson,  the  American-Swede^  by  the  same  author. 


CON'TEISTTS. 


CHAPTEE  I. 

PAGE 

The  Hero  before  the  War— His  Birthplace— An  Orphan— The  Family  re- 
move to  Ohio — The  Life-struggle  hegins— Clerk  and  Errand  Boy- 
Leaves  his  Employer — He  wouldn't  be  called  a  Liar— Drives  Team — 
A  Noble  Spirit,    ....  18 

CHAPTER  II. 

Spare  Moments  Improved — Ormsby  goes  to  West  Point— Foot  travel  over 
the  Country — His  career  resembles  that  of  General  Grant— His  Stu- 
dent-life— Writes  Home — Graduates  with  honor— Wants  to  go  to 
France  and  fight — Joins  the  Army  in  Florida — Eesigns — Is  Married — 
Domestic  Enjoyments, 25 

CHAPTEE  III. 

Anecdote  of  our  Hero— Is  Elected  Professor  in  Cincinnati  College — His 
Enthusiasm  in  Astronomy— Is  a  Captain— He  wants  an  Observatory 
—What  is  that? 84 

CHAPTER  lY. 

The  New  World  waked  up  to  the  Importance  of  Watch-towers  for  the 
Stars— A  Wonderful  Sight>— Observatories*  Built— Professor  Mitchel's 
great  Enterprise— The  First  Lecture— Onward 43 


CHAPTER  V. 

PAGE 

An  Eclipse— Who  first  solved  the  awful  Mystery ?— What  are  Comets?— 

Danger  of  burning  the  Earth— Other  Wonders — The  Dream,        .        .      54 

CHAPTEE  VI. 

The  Astronomer  a  Business  Man — ^His  Noble  Energy — Two  Eules  of  his 
Life— Starts  for  Europe — Voyage — The  Stranger  in  England — In  Paris 
— Munich— The  Treasure — The  Professor  in  Greenwich — A  Curious 
old  Town — Its  Lions, 62 

CHAPTEE  VIL 

Professor  Mitchel  leaves  England— Eeaches  Cincinnati — Disappointment 
— ^Not  Discouraged — He  Toils  on — Mr.  Longworth's  Gift — The  Corner 
Stone  of  the  Observatory  is  Laid— Interesting  Ceremonies — The  As- 
tronomer at  work  with  the  Mechanics — The  Watch-tower  Einished.    .      72 


CHAPTEE  VIIL 

The  beautiful  Monument  of  Faith  and  Work — A  new  Trial — The  Confla- 
gration— Turns  Lecturer — The  first  Effort — Lectures  in  New  York — 
The  influence  of  his  splendid  Oratoiy, 81 

CHAPTEE  IX. 

He  becomes  Eaikoad  Engineer— A  new  course  of  Lectures— Examples  of 
his  Oratory— He  is  appointed  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  of  Ohio — 
Various  Honors— Inventions, 96 

CHAPTEE  X. 

Professor  Mitchel  called  to  Albany— Makes  a  War  Speech— Thrilling  Anec- 
dote related  by  him — Intense  Enthusiasm — His  influence  at  Albany— 
WTiatJs  the  use  of  Observatories  ?— The  laigest  Telescope— A  Poet's 
Hymn, 104 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

PAGB 

The  Preparations  for  Conflict— The  attempt  to  Assassinate  the  President- 
elect—The Secret  History  of  the  Inauguration — The  Commencement 
of  Hostilities, 119 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Mitchel  enters  the  Field— Goes  to  Cincinnati— Takes  Care  of  the  City— 
Ealses  Volunteers— Visited  by  the  Secretary  of  "War— Noble  Words— 
The  Sad  Failure — General  Mitchel's  sources  of  Power  over  Men— 
"  Old  Stars  " — His  pure  Ambition, 12T 

CHAPTEE  XIII. 

General  Mitchel  as  a  Disciplinarian — His  Division  unrivalled  in  Drill — 
Proud  of  their  Chieftain — Eeady  for  Active  Service — General  Mitchel 
desires  to  lead  them  to  the  Field — Brave  and  Patriotic  Language- 
National  Victories — General  Mitchel  breaks  up  Camp — Fine  Spectacle 
— Splendid  Marching, 185 

CHAPTEE  XIV. 

Bowling  Green — Forced  Marches — The  first  Gun— Crossing  the  Eiver — 
Consternation  and  flight  of  the  Eebels — Scenes  in  the  City — De- 
spatches—Visit from  General  Buell — Nashville  Occupied  —  Scenes 
there— General  Mitchel  calls  on  Mrs.  James  K.  Polk,     ....    148 

CHAPTEE  XV. 

General  Mitchel's  plan  of  Campaign — Its  Sublime  Daring — ^Moves  to  Mur- 
freesboro'— Scenes  near  Corinth — Eebel  Contempt  of  the  Flag  of  Truce 
— Eebel  Woman's  Letter — General  Mitchel's  Justice  and  Humanity — 
Guerrillas — Suffering  Union  Men — ^A  Fight — The  value  of  Seconds,     .    158 

CHAPTEE  XVI. 

A  daring  Adventure  under  General  Mitchel — The  leader  of  the  band  de- 
1* 


10  conteot:s. 

PAGE 

tailed  to  conduct  it— Perilous  TraveUing— Partial  Success— The  Flight 

for  Life— Arrest  of  the  "Engine  Thieves," 1T3 

CHAPTEE  XYII. 

A  brave  Boy — ^The  Dungeon — Iron  Cages — ^The  escape  and  arrest  of  An- 
drews—  The  Death-warrant — Deep  Experiences — General  Mitchel 
blameless  in  the  whole  affair, 186 

CHAPTEE  XYIII. 

The  advance  of  the  Third  Division  to  Fayetteville — The  Old  Planter — 
The  Slaves— The  Grand  March— Scenes  by  the  "Way — In  the  Eiver — 
The  mysterious  Mght  March — The  Prize  Secured,  ....    195 

CHAPTEE  XIX. 

General  Mitchel  enters  Huntsville— The  Union  Flag  and  the  Loyal  Judge 
— The  Scenes  in  the  Town— Bridges  Burned— Bridgeport— Decatm* — 
Tuscmnbia — Congratulations — A  brilliant  attack  on  the  enemy  at 
Bridgeport— Advancing  in  the  cheerful  morning  air,       ...        .    203 

CHAPTEE  XX. 

Practical  Questions — The  Enemy  must  pay  the  Army  Expenses— The 
TrLals  of  Loyalty — General  Mitchel  believed  in  crushing  the  Eebellion 
— The  Cotton  Bridge — Slavery— Negroes  reliable — Anecdote,       .       .    213 

CHAPTEE  XXI. 

General  Mitchel's  views  of  Slavery— The  abuse  of  its  power— An  Illus- 
tration— General  Mitchel  deals  promptly  but  justly  with  the  citizens 
of  revolted  States — A  "Genteel  War  "—General  Mitchel's  plans  and 
policy— He  is  ordered  to  "Washington, 224 

CHAPTEE  XXII. 

General  Mitchel  at  "Washington — The  Secretary  of  "War  and  the  President 
are  his  friends— The  Secret  Expedition — The  Patient  Inactivity— The 


11 


PAGE 

Order  to   Port  Eoyal— The  History  of  his  new  Department— The 
Naval  Attack — Scenes  which  followed, 284 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

The  impression  made  by  the  Major-General  in  his  Southern  Department — 
Expeditions — ^Daring  Adventures— The  progress  of  the  Contrabands — 
Anecdotes — The  Mortal  Sickness, 240 

CHAPTER  XXIY. 

The  Scenes  of  the  Sick-Room— The  kind  and  Christian  words  spoken— The 
Victorious  Death— The  Burial— The  testimony  of  noble  Friends — 
Elegy, 265 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Hero  before  the  "War— His  Birthplace — An  Orphan — The  Family  remove  to 
Ohio — The  Life-struggle  begins — Clerk  and  Errand  Boy — Leaves  his  Em- 
ployer— He  wouldn't  be  called  a  Liar — Drives  Team — A  Xoble  Spirit. 

^Y  young  readers  who  are  very  far  in  their 
"  teens,"  heard  of  Professor  Mitchel  before  the 
civil  war  made  him  a  general.  Nearly  aU  of 
our  officers  were  men  but  Kttle  known  previous 
to  the  rebellion.  Professor  Mitchel,  the  as- 
tronomer and  lecturer,  was  widely  popular  in  the  time  of 
peace.  He  was  justly  admired  for  genius,  and  a  char- 
acter as  bright,  pure,  and  uniform,  as  the  globes  of  light 
whose  marches  and  motions  he  enthusiastically  watched, 

"  "UTaen  marshalled  on  the  nightly  plain, 
The  glittering  host  bestud  the  sky." 

This  fact  wiU  lend  a  charm  to  the  record  of  his  career,  so 
worthy  of  your  imitation. 

The  Mitchel  family  were  originally  Virginians.     The 
father  of  our  hero  was  an  unassuminsf,  intelligent,  and 


14  LIFE   OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

enterprising  man,  of  no  ordinary  mind.  With  a  fine 
mathematical  genius,  he  had  a  decided  taste  for  astronom- 
ical studies  ;  and,  like  many  other  youths  who  have  not 
enjoyed  the  means  of  education,  he  might  have  gained  a 
high  position  in  the  walks  of  science  had  he  received  the 
indispensable  culture — ^perhaps  have  rivalled  his  honored ' 
son  in  splendid  attainments.  His  wife  was  a  remarkable 
woman.  Over  natural  powers  of  a  high  order,  and  an 
attractive  person,  was  shed  the  lustre  and  loveliness  of 
unaffected  piety.  Mr.  Mitchel  was  at  one  time  in  pos- 
session of  a  handsome  property ;  but,  besides  raising  a 
large  family,  by  unavoidable  reverses,  he  saw  it  pass  hope- 
lessly from  his  hands.  Discouraged,  and  having  sons 
who  had  never  known  the  pressure  of  poverty,  and  were 
therefore  unfitted  to  assist  him  in  his  eftorts  to  retrieve 
his  fortunes,  he  decided  to  leave  Virginia,  and  go  to  the 
far  West,  to  begin  life  anew.  He  disposed  of  his  effects, 
and  travelled  slowly  and  wearily  through  what  is  now 
West  Virginia,  until  he  struck  the  Ohio  River.  The 
country  was  unsettled  and  wild.  There  were  no  rail- 
roads, and  the  only  means  of  transportation  was  upon 
the  flatboats  of  the  Ohio.  Upon  one  of  these  the  family 
embarked,  and  went  on  their  way  to  Kentucky.  In  this 
State  Mr.  Mitchel  resolved  to  find  a  home.  He  bought 
land  near  Morganfield,  Union  County,  erected  a  tem- 
porary house,  and  fairly  commenced  pioneer  life. 

In  the  new  Kentuckv  dwelling,  which  the  strangers 


^'i^mI  ^yt,^ 


'j  u.i.,i«^i:rii.  H'''^' 


LIFE   OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL.  15 

from  the  "  Old  Dominion"  called  their  own,  in  the  year 
1809,  was  born  Ormsby  McKnight  Mitchel.  The  father 
was  a  planter,  and,  consequently,  had  slaves  to  work  the 
land ;  but  often  expressed  his  hatred  to  the  system  of 
labor  that  made  it  apparently  necessary  to  own  the 
negroes,  and  at  his  death  gave  them  their  freedom. 

This  noble  act,  in  advance  of  the  public  feeling  even 
at  the  North,  contributed  largely  to  the  embarrassment 
in  business,  which,  with  sickness  attending  a  change  of 
climate,  had  much  to  do  with  the  life-struggles  of  the 
infant  boy,  all  unconscious  of  the  changes  about  him. 
There  was  nothing  in  Ormsby's  experience  different  from 
that  of  other  children  until  three  years  of  age,  excepting 
a  premature  interest,  perhaps,  in  the  moon  and  stars,  call- 
ing forth  exclamations  of  singular  beauty.  Then  Mr. 
Mitchel  was  taken  sick.  The  boy  still  played,  unheed- 
ing the  suffering  and  peril  of  the  father. 

Day  after  day  disease  did  its  work.  Ormsby  knew 
there  was  something  strange  and  new  in  the  dwelling. 
Mother's  sad  face,  the  physician's  frequent  calls,  cast  a 
shadow  even  upon  the  spirit  of  the  child,  g^nd  when  he 
was  told  that  father  was  dead,  and  touched  the  cold  face,  ' 
and  then  saw  the  coffin  borne  away,  the  boy  wept  with  a 
grief  which  was  caught  from  the  faces  about  him — a  pass- 
ing shower  of  tears,  succeeded  by  sunny  smiles  and  laugh- 
ter. It  T\'as  years  after,  that  he  learned  what  he  had 
lost — -the  meaning  of  the  word  orijTian. 


16  LIFE   OF   GENEEAJL   MITCHEL. 

It  is  a  sad  thing,  and  a  great  misfortune  in  a  liuman 
view,  to  be  left  early  an  orphan.  But  God  often  oyer- 
rules  it  for  the  highest  benefit  of  the  bereaved.  This 
was  evidently  true  in  Ormsby's  experience. 

Having  no  nurse  to  aid  the  burdened  mother,  the 
youngest  boy  was  taken  care  of  much  of  the  time  by  an 
older  brother,  who  ever  after  cherished  a  strong  affec- 
tion for  the  object  of  his  peculiar  interest.  Adversity  had 
marked  this  household  for  peculiar  trial.  The  chosen 
spot  for  a  habitation  proved  to  be  sickly,  and  nothing  of 
an  earthly  kind  seemed  to  prosper. 

Mrs.  Mitch  el  and  her  family  lived  in  Kentucky  when 
it  was  a  vast  hunting  ground.  Some  of  the  brothers  be- 
came familiar  with  the  romantic  adventures  of  those  early 
years.  They  often  threaded  the  wilderness  with  the  rifle. 
One  of  them  served  in  the  war  of  1812  with  the  "  Hunters 
of  Kentucky." 

The  family,  afflicted,  and  the  means  of  support  by  the 
Providential  discipline  greatly  reduced,  broke  up  the  sadly 
interesting  associations  in  the  Kentucky  home ,  and  started 
for  that  garden  State  of  settlers  from  the  East  and  South, 
Ohio. 

Leaving^pn  horseback,  they  travelled  through  the  wilds 
of  Kentucky  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  Little  Ormsby 
rode  in  front  of  his  eldest  brother.  At  night  they  not  un- 
frequently  stopped  in  the  forests  where  the  Indian  prowled 
around,  fearing  they  should  be  murdered  before  morning. 


LIFE    OF   GEXEExVL   l^nXCHEL.  1< 

They  finally  found  tliemselves  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio, 
and  on  the  spot  where  Covington  now  stands,  opposite 
Cincinnati,  then  only  a  feAV  houses  along  the  river  side. 

Under  the  very  shadow  of  the  hill  upon  which  the 
Mitchel  Observatory  stands,  the  family  attempted  to  cross 
in  row  boats.  A  fearful  thunder  storm  burst  upon  them, 
and  they  all  came  near  being  lost.  The  first  boat,  contain- 
ing the  older  brother,  had  gained  the  landing  ;  and  he,  the 
head  of  the  family  in  fact,  stood  upon  the  bank  watching 
the  imperilled  little  bark.  It  finally  reached  the  shore  in 
the  face  of  the  tempest,  wind,  and  current.  After  some 
hesitation,  they  concluded  not  to  stop  at  Cincinnati,  but 
pushed  forward  to  Miami,  a  pleasant  little  toT\Ti  in  Cler- 
mont County,  in  which,  at  Point  Pleasant,  you  recollect, 
Lieutenant-General  Grant  was  born. 

Not  long  after,  another  move  took  the  widow  and  her 
children  to  Lebanon,  a  thriving  village  in  Tm'tle  Creek 
township,  and  the  capital  of  Warren  County.  It  is  be- 
tween thirty  and  forty  miles  northwest  of  ]\Iiami.  The 
country  around  Lebanon,  which  now  contains  three  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  is  very  beautiful  and  fertile. 

A  few  miles  east  of  the  village,  on  the  Miami  River, 
is  a  great  curiosity,  which  Ormsby  often  saw  with  won- 
der. It  is  an  ancient  fortification,  nearly  a  mile  in  length, 
enclosed  by  a  wall  of  earth.  This  enclosure  is  in  some 
places  ten  feet  high.  It  has  more  than  fifty  gates,  or 
openings.     By  whom,  when,  or  for  what  piu'pose  the  sin- 


18       "^  LIFE    OF   GE]STEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

gular  defences  were  built,  is  unknown.  You  know  that 
all  over  the  great  western  valley  are  scattered  these  relics 
of  the  past.  Men  of  genius  and  culture  have  studied 
them,  and  volumes  have  been  printed  containing  their 
speculations.  Still  we  are  in  the  dark.  God  limits 
our  curiosity  and  knowledge  on  every  hand.  Wherever 
we  turn,  in  our  explorations,  a  voice  comes  at  length  to 
our  inward  ear,  "  Thus  far  and  no  farther." 

Oi-msby  climbed  over  these  memorials  of  past  ages,  as 
wise  as  the  philosopher,  in  regard  to  their  history,  beyond 
plausible  theories.  Still  his  holidays  were  few,  for  he 
had  neither  time  nor  money  to  spend. 

He  had  all  the  while  a  treasure  more  precious  than  a 
fortune  ;  a  gifted,  devout,  and  loving  mother.  She  threw 
over  him  an  influence  which  was  the  true  source  of  his 
success  and  greatness  in  after  life.  This  he  delighted  to 
acknowledge  through  his  whole  history.  Though  left 
alone  with  her  cherished  offspring,  and  struggling  to  feed 
and  clothe  them,  the  heavenly  atmosphere  of  her  faith  and 
love  surrounded  him  continually. 

We  shall  not  know  on  earth  the  debt  of  gratitude 
which  the  Church  and  State  owe  such  mothers — quietly, 
and  caring  not  for  human  applause,  doing  their  mighty 
work — then  retiring  into  obscurity  while  their  sons  as- 
cend to  liigh  positions. 

Ormsby  passed  most  of  the  years  of  early  boyhood  in 
Lebanon.     Soon  as  the  boy  could  earn  money,  he  was 


LIFE    OF    GEXEEAL    :^^TCHEL.  19 

ready  to  embrace  every  opportunity  of  adding  a  penny  to 
the  common  treasmy.  Here  his  early  school-days  were 
passed.  But  the  schools  there  were  then  poor.  Ormsby, 
however,  progressed  rapidly.  When  eight  years  of  age 
he  was  reading  Yirgil,  and  soon  surpassed  his  country 
teachers.  He  often  would  say  with  regard  to  one  of 
them,  that  after  translating  the  most  difficult  passages  he 
would  ask  him  to  read  them  ;  and  upon  his  failure  to  do 
it,  rendered  them  himself.  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  en- 
tered a  store  as  a  clerk. 

"We  come  now  to  the  most  important  crisis  in  his  ex- 
perience— the  fountain  of  his  highest  eloquence — the  seal 
of  his  true  greatness  and  eternal  destiny.  He  took  his 
position  in  the  world  as  a  Christian.  Thus  early  did  he 
connect  his  studies,  his  ambition,  his  life,  his  everlasting 
state,  with  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  of  mankind ;  and 
borrowed  from  Him  strength  "  to  will  and  to  do." 

His  entire  history  from  childhood  till  fourteen,  is  one 
of  noble  self-denying  effort  to  lay  a  good  foundation  for 
success  in  life.  His  ambitious,  aspiring  heart,  struggling 
with  poverty,  felt  it  no  disgrace  to  stoop  to  what  many 
would  think  a  menial  service.  At  one  time  you  might 
have  seen  him  running  to  the  chamber  or  cellar  of  the 
store  to  get  a  broom,  or  gallon  of  molasses,  for  a  cus- 
tomer. Then  again  you  would  have  found  him  in  his 
employer's  house,  doing  the  "chores"  in  and  around  it. 
The  Kentucky  orphan  was  the  general  waiter  of  the  Ohio 


20  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

country  mercliant.  A  humble  beginning  for  an  astron- 
omer and  a  major-general.  But  in  this  country,  where 
we  have  no  inherited  nobility,  our  noblemen  come  oftener 
from  the  humblest  and  obscurest  homes,  than  the  mansions 
of  the  rich.  I  will  let  our  hero  tell  his  own  story  of  this 
rough  experience  : 

"  I  was  working  for  twenty-five  cents  a  week,  with  my 
hands  fuU,  but  did  my  work  faithfully.  I  used  to  cut 
wood,  fetch  water,  make  fires,  scrub  and  scour  in  the 
morning  for  the  old  lady  before  the  real  work  of  the  day 
was  commenced.  My  clothes  were  bad,  and  I  had  no 
means  of  buying  shoes,  so  was  often  barefooted. 

"  One  morning  I  got  through  my  work  early,  and  the 
old  lady,  who  thought  I  had  not  done  it,  or  was  especially 
ill-humored  then,  was  displeased. 

"  She  scolded  me,  and  said  :  '  You  are  an  idle  boy. 
You  haven't  done  the  work.' 

"  I  replied  :   '  I  have  done  y,'^hat  I  was  told  to  do.' 

"  '  You  are  a  liar,'  was  her  angry  reply. 

"  I  felt  my  spirit  rise  indignantly  against  the  charge  ; 
and,  standing  erect,  I  answered  :  '  You  will  never  have 
the  chance  of  applying  that  word  to  me  again.' 

"  I  then  walked  out  of  the  house  to  reenter  it  no 
more.  I  had  not  a  cent  in  my  pocket  when  I  stepped 
into  the  world. 

"  What  do  you  think  I  did  then,  boys? 

"  I  met  a   countryman  with  a  team.     I  boldly  and 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  21 

earnestly  addressed  him,  saying  :  '  I  will  drive  the  leader 
if  you  will  only  take  me  on.' 

"  He  looked  at  me  in  surprise,  but  in  a  moment  said, 
'  I  don't  think  you'll  be  of  any  use  to  me.' 

"  '  O  yes  I  will,'  I  replied ;  '  I  can  rub  down  and 
watch  your  horses,  and  do  many  things  for  you,  if  you 
will  only  let  me  try.' 

"  '  Well,  well,  my  lad,  get  on  the  horse.' 

"  And  so  I  climbed  upon  the  leader's  back,  and  com- 
menced my  teamster-life.  The  roads  were  deep  mud, 
and  the  travelling  very  hard,  and  consequently  slow.  We 
got  along  at  the  rate  of  twelve  miles  per  day.  It  was  dull 
and  tiresome  you  wfU  believe ;  but  it  was  my  starting^ 
jjoint.  I  had  begun  to  push  my  way  in  the  world,  and 
went  ahead  after  this.  An  independent  spirit,  and  steady, 
honest  conduct,  with  what  capacity  God  has  given  me — 
as  he  has  given  you,  boys — have  carried  me  successfully 
through  the  world." 

And  now  hear  and  always  remember  what  he  says  to 
boys  who  have  like  himself,  in  early  life,  no  friends  to 
help  with  money,  and  must  enter  the  busy  world  penni- 
less. They  are  noble,  inspiring  words,  spoken  to  a  large 
assembly  of  lads  in  one  of  our  cities  : 

"  Don't  be  down-hearted  at  being  poor,  or  having  no 
friends.  Try,  and  try  again.  You  can  cut  your  way 
through,  if  you  live,  so  please  God.  I  know  it's  a  hard 
time  for  some  of  you.     Yoa  are  often  hungry  and  wet 


22  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL. 

with  the  rain  or  snow,  and  it  seems  dreary  to  have  no 
one  in  the  city  to  care  for  you.  But  trust  in  Christ,  and 
He  will  be  your  friend.  Keep  up  good  heart,  and  be 
[letermined  to  make  your  own  way  honestly  and  truly 
through  the  world.  As  I  said,  I  feel  for  you,  because  I 
have  gone  through  it  all :  I  know  what  it  is.  God  bless 
you." 

The  fatherless  boy  had  thus  far  been  in  a  school  of 
sad  trial,  yet  blest  with  the  kindly  influences  of  home.  In 
one  \dew,  he  had  no  childhood ;  but  took  his  place  very 
early  among  men,  to  battle  with  poverty  and  pay  his 
way. 

The  indignant  and  unceremonious  desertion  of  his  em- 
ployer, you  will  notice,  was  not  a  rebellion  against  even 
tyrannical  authority,  nor  a  petulant  refusal  to  do  a 
servant's  work  in  the  honest  endeavor  to  secure  the 
needed  compensation.  It  was  the  charge  of  falsehood, 
of  unreliable  character,  which  made  him  a  homeless 
orphan.  He  felt  even  then  that  he  could  not,  and 
would  not,  brook  the  insult  to  his  sense  of  justice  and 
his  conscious  integrity  of  purpose.  The  association  with 
a  nature  so  narrow  and  harsh  was  beyond  endurance, 
and  he  went  forth  the  loenniless  possessor  of  a  fortune  ;  he 
had  the  wealth  of  a  fine  mind,  lofty  principle,  and  tireless 
energy  of  character.  Brave  young  spirit !  God  will  bless 
always  such  a  venture  upon  His  providence. 

And  no  part  of  Ormsby's  life  has  a  more  important. 


LITE   OF   GENERAL    IVnTCHEL.  23 

useful  lesson  for  you,  my  young  reader,  than  tliis  very 
experience.  It  laid  the  foundation,  so  far  as  native  char- 
acter is  concerned,  of  all  his  greatness.  Those  habits  of 
patient  industry,  self-denial  of  present,  transient  pleas- 
ures, and  a  regard  to  the  endless  future  which  distin- 
guished him,  and  gave  him  the  noblest  success,  were 
formed  in  his  boyhood.  It  reminds  me  of  a  youth  in 
Yale  College  many  years  since,  of  similar  spirit,  who 
blacked  the  boots  of  the  richer  students  to  aid  in  the  pay- 
ment of  his  current  expenses.  One  day  they  were  around 
him  at  his  Avork,  talking  over  their  future  plans,  when 

one  of  them  said  :  "  "Well,  K ,  what  are  you  going  to 

be?"  K brushed  away,  and  quietly  replied,  "  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State  of  New  York."  A  laugh  went  round 
the  little  cii'cle  at  his  expense.  The  merry  young  men 
went  forth  from  the  college  halls  to  be  either  a  burden  to 
society  or  comparatively  unknown.  The  boy  who  was 
not  ashamed  to  black  boots  to  pay  his  debts,  was  heard 
in  Congress,  and  was  elected  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the 
Empire  State. 

I  must  give  you  one  more  true  and  encouraging  story. 

Thirty  years  ago,  in  the  small  academy  at  B ,  was  a 

boy  faithfully  devoted  to  the  culture  of  his  mind.  But  he 
was  jpoor.  Opening  the  drawer  to  his  table  you  would 
have  wondered  and  smiled,  to  see  a  howl  of  molasses  well 
sprinkled  with  crumbs.     This  was  the  student's  whole  pro- 


24:  LIFE    OF    GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

vision  for  board.  A  loaf  of  bread,  and  the  bowl  with  its 
contents,  was  the  simple  living.  Now  that  lad  is  a  pop- 
ular author,  whose  beautiful  cottage  stands  on  the  green 
banks  of  the  glorious  Hudson. 


CHAPTER  n. 


Spare  Moments  Improved — Ormsby  goes  to  "West  Point — Foot  travel  over  the 
Country— His  career  resembles  that  of  General  Grant — His  Student-lift — 
"Writes  Home — Graduates  "with  honor — "Wants  to  go  to  France  and  fight — 
Joins  the  Army  in  Florida — Eesigns — Is  Married— Domestic  Enjoyments. 


^OUNG  Mitchel  had  improved  his  leisure  mo- 
ments. He  early  learned  the  value  of  these 
golden  sands  of  time.  Were  you  ever  in  the 
United  States  Mint  ?  If  so,  you  noticed  a  per- 
forated floor,  where  the  work  in  gold  is  done. 
Under  this  wooden  net-work  is  the  polished  stone  which 
catches  the  small  particles.  The  woodwork  can  be  re- 
moved, and  the  gold  dust  swept  up  and  saved.  The  guide 
will  tell  you  that  nearly  forty  thousand  dollars  are  thus 
saved  every  year  in  these  sweepings.  Young  Mitchel 
caught  the  little  fragments  of  time,  and  used  them  well. 

When  thirteen  years  old,  Ormsby  had  acquired  a  con- 
siderable knowledge  of  Greek  and  Latin,  in  addition  to 
English  branches,  including  mathematics.      He   panted 
2 


26  LITE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

for  opportunities  to  cultivate  his  mind  in  the  halls  of  a 
college.     A  penniless  lad,  what  could  he  do  ? 

Unlike  the  youthful  and  equally  aspiring  Grant,  he 
had  no  father  to  help  him  seek  a  place  for  this  discipline 
of  his  powers.  Still  he  had  a  will  to  do,  and  had  also 
friends,  who  became  interested  in  him.  The  Military 
Academy  at  West  Point  offered  the  twofold  attraction  of 
the  highest  intellectual  training,  and  an  allowance  by 
Government  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  the  rare  advan- 
tages.    He  resolved  to  go  there. 

His  gifted  mother  was  a  relative  of  the  most  excellent 
and  distinguished  Judge  McLean,  then  a  prominent  citi- 
zen of  the  rapidly-growing  State  of  Ohio.  Through  his 
influence  he  received  the  appointment.  Not  long  after- 
wards he  was  at  the  house  of  one  who  had  been  most 
prominent  in  procuring  his  appointment,  when  that  gen- 
tleman thus  addressed  him  :  "  We  have  had  many  of  our 
boys  go  to  West  Point,  but  few  of  them  get  through." 
Ormsby  di-ew  himself  up,  looked  him  in  the  eye,  and 
merely  said:  "  I  shall  go  tJirougJi,  sir  !"  Such  was  the 
favor  he  won,  that  not  only  did  he  obtain  the  appoint- 
ment, but,  as  a  special  indulgence,  was  admitted  when 
only  fourteen — a  year  before  the  time  fixed  by  the  rules 
of  the  institution.  The  way  was  opened  to  get  into  the 
Academy,  but  he  had  no  money  to  go  to  it.  This  did 
not  discourage  him.  Putting  into  a  knapsack  his  small 
outfit,  he  started  for  the  distant  goal  of  his  aspirations. 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  27 

The  distance  to  be  travelled  over  from  Ohio  to  West 
Point,  at  that  early  period,  was  like  a  pilgrimage  to  a 
foreign  land ;  the  wilderness  covered  the  largest  part  of 
the  intervening  States.  Sometimes  Ormsby  travelled  on 
foot,  sometimes  on  horseback, ^with  Indian  guides,  and 
then  again  on  canal  boats.  The  latter  part  of  the  journey 
was  upon  one  of  these  safe  but  slow  navigators.  Friend- 
less and  alone,  he  had  no  one  to  sympathize  with  him. 
The  captain  of  the  boat  noticing  this,  took  a  fancy  to  him, 
and  in  every  way  within  his  power  cheered  him  on  his 
way.  But  who  the  lad  was,  and  where  he  was  going,  no- 
body knew,  for  he  told  no  one  his  secret.  Upon  leaving 
the  boat,  however,  he  took  from  his  pocket  his  cadet's 
warrant  and  showed  it  to  the  captain.  This  stated  that 
the  little  stranger  was  a  member  of  one  of  the  first  insti- 
tutions in  the  country,  and  at  once  gave  him  great  im- 
portance in  the  captain's  view. 

Ormsby  arrived  at  Albany  on  Saturday  night,  and 
there  remained  over  the  Sabbath  vdth  relatives.  On 
Monday  morning  he  went  aboard  a  boat,  and  landed  in 
the  evening  at  West  Point,  unwavering  in  his  purpose, 
and  cheerful  with  hope,  his  knapsack  on  his  back,  and 
twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket.  His  first  thought  was, 
how  he  should  pass  the  examination.  This  troubled  him, 
for  he  had  not  prepared  especially  for  it.  He  was  leaning 
out  of  his  window  the  next  day,  thinking  how  he  should 
get  through,  what  he  should  do  in  case  he  could  not  i^ass 


28  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

— far  from  home,  without  money  and  without  friends, 
which  way  he  should  turn  if  he  were  rejected. 

While  he  was  looking  thoughtfolly  from  his  window, 
watching  a  sentinel  pacing  up  and  down,  that  stranger 
spoke  kindly  to  him,  asking  him  "  if  he  was  prepared  for 
examination,"  and  offering  him  all  the  assistance  in  his 
power.  "  Tell  me  what  books  I  am  to  be  examined  in," 
said  Ormsby,  "  and  I  will  take  care  of  the  rest."  Soon 
he  was  posted  by  his  friend  in  regard  to  the  text-books 
used  in  the  severe  trial  before  him.  In  a  few  days  he 
had  passed  the  ordeal  with  flying  colors. 

Being  very  young  when  he  entered  the  Academy,  his 
greatest  ambition  was  to  make  each  recitation  as  nearly 
perfect  as  possible.  He  had  not  been  accustomed  to  the 
routine  of  study,  like  many  of  his  classmates,  who  had 
reached  even  manhood.  But  his  progress  was  steady 
and  rapid.  In  his  class  was  Robert  E.  Lee.  Jefferson 
Davis  Avas  in  the  Academy  at  this  time  ;  and  being  some- 
what older  than  Mitchel,  used  to  take  him  with  him  in 
his  walks  amid  the  magnificent  scenery  on  every  hand.* 

From  the  cadet's  barracks,  where  the  young  men  had 
their  rooms,  he  went  to  recitation,  military  di'ill,  and  uic^s 
hall  or  boarding-house,  with  promptness  and  regularity. 
His  perfectly  correct  and  abstemious  habits  kept  him 
from  the  finely-construoted  and  managed  hospital  belong- 
ing to  the  Academy.  He  was  no  stranger  in  the  engi- 
neering and  model  rooms,  which  contain  the  costly  and 
*  See  note  on  last  Tr'::o. 


LITE    OF    GE2sERAL    :MTTCHEL.  29 

beautiful  apparatus,  and  miniature  forts,  &c.,  for  instruc- 
tion in  all  kinds  of  civil  and  military  engineering.  In 
the  riding  hall,  for  exercises  in  horsemanship,  he  acquired 
equestrian  gracefulness  seldom  excelled  in  the  Academy. 
Nor  did  he  neglect  the  elegant  gallery  of  art,  in  which 
the  marble  and  canvas  seemed  to  breathe  and  speak.  It 
was  especially  favorable  to  study  at  West  Point  w^hen  our 
cadet  was  there.  The  visitors  were  comparatively  few. 
Railroad  cars  and  steamboats  did  not  then  whistle  at  depot 
and  wharf  every  hour.  The  tide  of  travel  had  not  begun 
to  flow  toward  tnat  romantic  spot ;  nor  was  it  really 
thought  of  as  a  watering-place  for  the  summer.         • 

Every  object,  from  the  grand  old  mountains  to  Kos- 
ciusko's garden  of  beauty,  interested  him.  He  often  sat 
near  the  iron  enclosure  of  relics,  itself  the  most  suggestive 
of  all — a  part  of  the  great  chain  which  was  drawn  across 
the  Hudson  during  the  Revolutionary  "War.  It  was  com- 
menced January  20th,  1778,  and  finished  April  11th  of 
the  same  year.  This  gigantic  chain  weighed  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six  tons.  The  heaviest  link  weighed  a  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds. 

Benedict  Arnold,  w^ho  commanded  the  position,  had  a 
link  removed,  pretending  it  was  for  repairing,  to  carry 
out  his  traitorous  plan  of  giving,  through  Andre,  the 
British  possession  of  the  stronghold — the  key  to  the  mag- 
nificent river. 

Young  ]Mitchel  wrote  letters  glowing  with  his  ear- 


30  LIFE   OF    GEKEEAL   MITCHEL. 

nest,  affectionate  nature,  to  his  mother  and  brothers. 
Those  to  his  mother  revealed  the  characteristic  tender- 
ness and  reverence  to  which  allusion  has  been  made.  His 
large  s\Tnpathies  remind  us  of  a  great  living  divine,  also 
widely  known  as  a  lecturer,  who,  when  he  was  asked  for 
the  name  of  his  gifted  and  devout  mother,  no  longer 
among  the  living,  wrote  it  in  the  following  form  : 

"  Elizabeth  W H ,  a  name  never  spoken  or 

written,  without  devout  thanksgiving  to  God  our  Saviour, 
for  her  wonderful  purity,  piety,  and  charity  ;  that  she  was 
and  is  my  mother." 

How  beautiful  is  such  filial  love  !  The  hue  of  a 
river's  tide  is  often  visible  far  out  into  the  bay  which 
receives  it ;  so  in  the  manhood  of  these  lofty  minds 
clearly  flows  from  the  fountain  at  the  cradle,  the  stream 
of  affection  for  her  who  watched  the  dreamer  there,  and 
onward  till  the  world  was  his  sphere  of  action  and  influ- 
ence— her  gift  to  its  struggling  millions. 

Cadet  Mitchel  graduated  with  honor.  The  highest 
mark  of  confidence  in  his  attainments  and  character  was, 
his  appointment  as  assistant  professor  of  mathematics  in 
the  Academy.     This  chair  he  filled  for  two  years. 

The  next  year  after  his  graduation  there  was  a  revo- 
lutionary movement  in  France.  Napoleon,  you  recollect, 
died  on  the  rocky  island  of  St.  Helena  in  1821.  Charles 
X.  succeeded  him  to  the  throne.  He  became  unpopular 
on  account  of  tyi-annical  measui'es,  and  the  restless  peo- 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   BIITCHEL.  31 

pie,  always  changeful  and  unreliable,  resolved  to  get  rid 
of  him. 

When  the  outbreak  of  feeling  came,  and  there  was 
some  prospect  of 'a  struggle  for  freedom,  cadet  Mitchcl 
caught  the  fever  of  adventure.  He  wanted  to  have  a 
hand  in  the  strife.  Day  after  day  he  thought  of  the  arena 
of  martial  glory,  and  his  dreams  were  haunted  by  its  far- 
off  enchantment.  He  wrote  home,  expressing  his  enthu- 
siasm and  his  increasing  desii'e  to  repair  to  France. 

But  the  volatile  Frenchmen  soon  dispeUe^  his  visions 
of  valor  and  honor  on  their  soil,  so  often  red  with  the 
blood  of  revolution.  In  a  few  months  Louis  Philippe 
was  seated  on  the  throne  of  the  empire,  and  the  people 
were  ready  to  shout,  "  Long  live  the  King  !  " 

Leaving  West  Point,  Mitchel  joined  the  army  in  Flor- 
ida, and  was  stationed  at  St.  Augustine.  His  life  became 
monotonous.  The  active  mind  of  the  youthful  soldier 
could  not  endure  the  confinement,  with  no  prospect  of  a 
larger  field  for  the  use  of  his  culture,  and  the  attainment 
of  the  reward  of  an  honorable  ambition  to  "  make  his 
mark  in  the  world." 

The  occasional  expedition — ^the  many  hours  of  idle- 
ness— the  separation  from  social  and  religious  scenes — all 
made  him  weary  of  a  position  w^hich  seemed  to  be  of  little 
worth  to  the  country  or  to  himself.  He  won  a  single 
victory  which  shed  over  his  whole  life  a  sacred  halo  of 
light.     Miss  Louisa  Clark,  of  Cornwall,  in  which  West 


32  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

Point  lies,  had  married  Lieutenant  Trask,  who  died. 
Her  father  was  Judge  Clark,  at  one  time  a  member  of 
the  Legislature,  and  a  gentleman  of  wide  and  deserved 
influence. 

Mrs.  Trask  was  a  ladj  of  fine  intellect,  rare  culture,  and 
of  beautiful  Christian  character.  This  interesting  young 
widow  attracted  the  interest  of  the  professor.  His  enthu- 
siasm and  noble  character  successfully  won  her  hand,  and 
they  were  married.  The  tenderly  confiding  nature  of 
Mitchel  found  a  congenial  one  in  Mrs.  Trask.  Life  from 
that  hour  became  to  him,  who  had  the  rough  experience 
of  orphanage,  a  new  and  blessed  existence. 

Resigning  his  place  in  the  United  States  army,  he 
went  to  the  growing  and  charming  city  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  The  soldier  became  an  honest  attorney.  For  two 
years,  old  tomes  and  new,  of  legal  lore,  clients  and  courts, 
vdih  the  endearments  and  dehghts  of  home,  which  no  one 
knew  better  how  to  value  and  enjoy  than  he,  filled  up  the 
time. 

Like  poor  Payne,  who  wrote  the  world-wide  song, 

"  Home,  sweet  home," 

but  was  a  wanderer  all  his  days,  Mitchel  had  a  contrast 
to  what  he  now  enjoyed,  to  make  that  melody  the  very 
music  of  his  soul.  Wife,  children,  friends,  around  his 
table  or  hearthstone,  were  next  to  heaven  in  his  affections. 
This  suggests  the  crowning  excellence  of  his  charac- 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  33 

ter ;  his  consistent,  unsullied  Christian  life.  It  brought 
no  blush  to  his  cheek,  in  any  place  or  at  any  time,  to 
"  stand  up  for  Jesus  ;  "  everywhere  giving  the  whole 
weight  of  his  influence  to  the  cause  of  true  religion  and 
human  well-being. 

Soon  after  he  had  taken  up  his  residence  in  Cincinnati, 
he  connected  himself  -with  the  church  of  Dr.  Lyman 
Beecher,  and  became  a  useful  young  layman  under  the 
eloquent  teachings  and  practical  activity  of  that  distin- 
guished divine.  Here,  also,  ten  years  before  he  began 
his  career  as  an  astronomical  lecturer ;  he  made  his  first 
effort  on  the  platform  in  the  "  Old  College  Building." 
The  Rev.  Thomas  Brainerd,  D.D.,  then  pastor  and  editor 
there,  relates,  that  his  paper  with  others  contained  a  notice 
that  this  stranger,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  would  lec- 
ture on  astronomy.  At  the  hour  appointed  the  hall,  lighted 
with  candles  by  the  friends  of  the  speaker,  contained  an 
audience  of  sixteen  'persons.  Though  succeeding  efforts 
were  cro^med  with  better  success,  he  left  the  platform  for 
the  forum  altogether,  little  dreaming  of  the  splendid  future 
before  him  as  the  orator  of  the  stars. 


2* 


CHAPTER  m. 

Anecdote  of  our  Hero — Is  Elected  Professor  in  Cincinnati  Collage — His  Enthu- 
siasm in  Astronomy— Is  a  Captain— He  wants  an  Observatory — ^Wliat  is 
that? 

^EOFESSOE-  C ,  who  knew  him  well,  related 

to  me  an  anecdote  illustrating  Mr.  IMitchel's 
enlightened  views,  and  readiness  to  meet  any 
objection  to  truth  and  duty.  He  was  warmly 
interested  in  conference  meetings,  where  the 
humblest  voice  could  be  heard  in  exhortation  and  prayer. 
The  professor  objected  to  them,  because  those  would 
speak  and  pray  who  were  either  unsound  in  doctrine  or 
otherwise  unfit  to  lead  a  congregation.  With  the  quick- 
ness of  thought,  and  wonderful  beauty  of  expression  and 
manner  peculiar  to  him,  he  answered  his  friend  by  nar- 
rating two  incidents.  One  of  <them  was  to  show  the 
perversion  of  the  freedom  of  such  meetings,  and  the  other, 
the  vast  amount  of  good  which  flows  from  them.  Mr. 
Mitchel  said :  "A  certain  minister  rose  in  a  noon-day 
meeting,  and  with  apparent  sincerity  told  this  story  of  his 


LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MTTCHEL.  35 

experience.  Returning  from  a  foreign  coast,  he  prayed 
in  faith  that  the  Lord  would  give  him  ten  souls  the  first 
meeting  he  should  attend.  He  went  to  a  religious  meet- 
ing and  made  some  remarks.  The  result  was,  ten  per- 
sons became  Christians.  The  man  then  snapping  his^ 
finger,  added,  '  I  might  just  as  well  have  asked  for  a  Jiun- 
dreclJ  "  In  contrast  with  such  occasionally  erratic  and 
unhappy  moments,  Mr.  Mitchel  went  on  to  say :  "  There 
was  in  the  West  a  gentleman  to  whom  another  in  a  distant 
town  was  deeply  indebted.  This  creditor  wrote  to  a  law- 
yer there,  to  collect  the  money  due  him.  The  attorney 
wrote  back,  that  the  young  man  who  owed  him  was 
unable  to  pay,  but  struggling  hard  to  get  the  means. 
The  impatient  creditor  soon  sent  another  demand  for  the 
collection  of  the  debt.  Again  the  considerate,  compas- 
sionate counsellor  at  law,  urged  forbearance  with  the  em- 
barraf^sed,  honest  young  pioneer.  Tlie  indignant  claimant 
replied,  that  the  money  was  his  rightful  due,  and  he  7mist 
have  it.  Time  passed,  and  the  debt  was  not  paid.  So 
off  the  angry  debtor  started  for  the  lawyer's  town  and 
ofiice.  Entering  the  latter,  he  addressed  his  attorney 
excitedly,  wishing  to  know  why  he  had  not  collected  the 
money.  The  kind  appeal  was  once  more  urged ;  the 
exercise  of  mercy  pressed  upon  the  client.  '  Right  is 
right ; '  was  the  unyielding  response.  '  I  believe  in  justice, 
and  all  I  ask  is  to  have  it  done  in  this  case.  And  now,  I 
want  to  know  whether  you  will  get  the  money  ? ' 


36  LIFE    OF    GEXERAL    MFTCHEL. 

"  '  I  must  if  you  insist — it  is  my  business  ;'  tlie  law- 
yer answered,  '  and  I  will  attend  to  it  at  once.' 

"  The  gentleman  left  the  office  and  strolled  into  the 
busy  streets.  Almost  unconsciously  he  followed  people 
going  to  the  place  of  prayer.  Soon  after  he  was  seated, 
a  plain  man  arose,  and  repeated  the  passage,  '  And  what 
doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  love 
mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ? '  The  speaker 
dwelt  upon  the  grace  of  mercy,  which  was  so  often  over- 
looked in  the  stern  demands  of  justice.  He  impressively 
showed  the  deep  meaning  of  the  words  of  Christ, '  Blessed 
are  the  merciful  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy.'  The 
stranger  was  smitten  with  a  sense  of  cruel  injustice.  The 
conviction  of  guilt  became  too  strong  for  endurance. 
Rising,  he  astonished  persons  around  him  by  his  almost 
'wild  excitement.  Pushing  aside  those  in  his  way,  he  said, 
'  Here  let  me  come — out  of  my  way,  I  must  go  ! '  Hasten- 
ing to  the  attorney's  office,  he  inquired  with  anxious 
earnestness,  '  Have  you  collected  the  debt?' 

"  '  No,'  was  the  answer  ;  '  but  I  was  just  going  to  see 
what  could  be  done,  and  issue  the  warrant  if  necessary.' 

'• '  Don't  you  do  it — don't  you  do  it !  I  have  just 
found  out  that  I  haven't  had  the  first  idea  of  justice,  or 
mercy  either.  I  don't  want  the  money,  give  it  to  the 
young  man,  for  I'll  have  no  more  to  do  with  it  forever.' 
Thus  the  debtor  returned  to  his  home  a  better  citizen,  if 
not  a  Christian," 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  37 

The  la  Y-p  re  aching  had  beeu  the  appeal  more  power- 
ful to  the  creditor  than  all  the  eloquence  of  the  pulpit, 
though- indispensable  in  its  high  position. 

In  1834,  Mr.  Mitchel  was  elected  Professor  of  Math- 
ematics, Philosophy,  and  Astronomy,  in  Cincinnati  Col- 
lege, then  just  established. 

From  this  time  dates  the  beginning  of  his  career  as  an 
Astronomer.  For  ten  years  he  filled  with  great  honor 
the  chair  which  was  the  very  one  most  congenial  to  his 
taste.  The  students  admired  and  loved  him.  His  enthu- 
siasm in  the  study  of  the  starry  heavens  rose  with  the 
growing  familiarity  of  his  mind  with  their  glories.  He 
loved,  upon  a  clear  evening,  to  gather  his  class  about 
him,  and  with  the  poor  helps  they  had — only  inferior 
instruments — to  direct  their  attention  to  the  wonders  of 
the  firmament.  With  glowing  words  he  would  speak  of  the 
"  shepherdess  of  night,  and  her  starry  flock."  He  felt,  and 
tried  to  impress  upon  youthful  minds,  the  language  of  the 
still  and  radiant  dome  above  their  heads,  sung  by  another  : 

"  Though  voice  nor  sound  inform  the  ear, 
Well  known  the  language  of  their  song, 

When,  one  by  one,  the  stars  appear, 
Led  by  the  silent  moon  along, — 

Till  round  the  earth  from  all  the  sky, 

Thy  beauty  beams  on  every  eye." 

Not  only  in  the  college  and  the  church  was  he  active, 
but  interested  in  all  the  sources  of  public  improvement. 


38  LIFE   OF   GEISTERAL   MTTCHEL. 

He  was  captain  of  a  volunteer  company  ten  years, 
drilling  the  men  with  the  devotion  to  military  order  and 
discipline,  of  a  colonel  preparing  his  troops  for  the  field 
of  battle.  It  proved  a  valuable  di^ill  to  him,  keeping  fresh 
and  available  his  education  at  West  Point.  In  other 
ways  Providence  was  fitting  him  for  his  future  and  splen- 
did, though  brief  military  career. 

In  1836  he  filled  the  office  of  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
Little  Miami  Railroad.  Think  of  the  Professor  look- 
ing after  the  engines,  tracks,  and  all  the  machinery 
for  running  the  cars  ;  learning  lessons  to  be  worth  more 
than  he  dreams  possible,  nearly  thirty  years  later  on 
rebel  soil,  in  his  ever-active  and  valuable  life. 

The  Professor's  department  of  instruction  of  the  col- 
lege, and  want  of  the  helps  needed,  turned  his  attention  to 
the  possibility  of  having  an  observatory. 

"  And  what  is  an  observatory?  "  asks  a  young  reader. 

A  general  definition  is,  "  a  place  appropriated  for 
making  observations  upon  natural  objects."  In  astrono- 
my, it  is  a  buildiug  designed  for  making  celestial  observa- 
tions. It  has  a  dome  for  the  optical  instruments,  which 
usually  revolves ;  or  a  room  in  the  upper  story,  with  a 
movable  roof,  which  can  be  removed  when  the  heavens 
are  viewed.  The  dome  has  openings  with  shutters.  Its 
revolutions  will  sweep  the  horizon  :  and  a  single  person 
can  turn  them  just  as  he  would  the  turret  of  a  monitor. 

The  first  thing  essential  is,  to  have  the  structure  free 


LITE    OF   GENEEAL   JHTCnEL.  39 

from  tremors^  or  any  motion.  To  secm'e  this,  there  are 
piers  of  solid  masonry,  built  upon  rock,  or  deeply  imbed- 
ded, separated  from  every  other  part  of  the  edifxce,  and 
rising  high  as  the  place  for  the  instruments.  This,  you 
will  see,  gives  an  immovable  support  for  the  heavy  and 
nice  telescopic  apparatus. 

The  second  consideration  is,  to  avoid  the  effect  of 
changes  in  the  air.  So,  places  are  selected  secluded  from 
the  dust  of  travel  and  from  fogs. 

A  third  important  consideration  in  putting  up  an 
observatory  is,  to  have  a  free  view  of  the  horizon — a  clear 
sweep  of  the  circular  base  of  the  blue  dome. 

I  hear  another  questioner  inquire,  "  What  is  the 
furniture  of  such  a  house  ?  " 

An  equatorial,  or  telescope,  with  which  any  part  of  the 
heavens  may  be  seen  by  adjusting  it,  is  the  leading  article 
in  the  costly  furnishing. 

There  are  two  great  classes,  called  reflecting  and  re- 
fracting telescopes.  In  the  former,  the  rays  of  light  from 
a  star,  or  any  other  object,  pass  down  the  large  tube  of  the 
instrument,  and  fall  on  a  metallic  mirror,  whose  polished 
surface  reflects  them  to  a  point  called  the /ocws  ;  and  there, 
forms  a  very  luminous  image  of  the  object.  You  then 
examine  the  image  with  a  magnifying  glass.  Of  course, 
the  greater  the  power  of  the  lens,  the  larger  will  the  object 
appear. 

The  refracting  telescope  has  no  mirror.     Instead  of 


40  LITE   OF    aEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

this,  the  rays  of  light  fall  upon  an  ohjed-glass,  or  power- 
ful lens,  which  brings  them  to  a  focus,  and  then  you  use 
the  eye-glasses  as  in  the  other  telescope.  Hear  what  he 
who  has  gazed  many  nights,  while  you  were  asleep, 
through  the  telescope,  says  about  it : 

"  I  will  not  here  undertake  to  explain  how  it  is  that 
the  telescope  enables  the  eye  to  penetrate  space.  That 
this  power  belongs  to  thi§  magic  instrument,  no  one  can 
doubt  who  has  ever  seen  a  small,  feeble  star,  converted  by 
optical  power  into  a  magnificent  orb,  forty  times  more  ex 
tensive  than  the  onoon's  surface,  as  viewed  by  unaided 
vision. 

*'  Who  could  have  divined  the  nature  of  the  revelations 
which  would  be  made  by  an  instrument  giving  to  the  eye 
a  depth  of  penetration  a  thousandfold  greater  than  it  pos- 
sessed by  nature  ? 

"  If  indeed  the  Creator  is  infinite,  if  His  august  pres- 
ence filleth  immensity,  then  we  had  a  right  to  anticipate 
that,  no  matter  how  deep  the  eye  of  man  might  pierce  the 
domain  of  space,  a  point  never  could  be  reached  wherein 
the  evidences  of  God's  presence  would  not  appear. 

"  Such  has  been  the  result  of  the  application  of  the  tele- 
scope to  sounding  the  mighty  depths  of  the  universe. 
Every  augmentation  of  power  has  served  to  reveal  new 
wonders  ;  every  increased  depth  to  which  the  eye  has 
penetrated,  has  evoked  from  the  viewless  depths  of  space, 
millions  on  millions  of  shining  orbs,  until  the  imagination 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  41 

is  overwhelmed  by  the  teeming  numbers  as  by  the  mighty 
distances  to  which  these  island  universes  are  removed. 

"  Conceive,  if  it  be  possible,  of  an  object  so  remote  that 
its  light,  flashing  with  a  speed  which  no  mind  can  com- 
prehend, should  still  occupy  a  million  of  years  in  passing 
the  mighty  interval  by  which  it  is  removed !  and  yet 
there  is  evidence  that  we  now  behold  with  the  most  pow- 
erful tubes,  objects  «even  ten,  twenty,  or  thirty  times  more 
remote.  We  yield  the  point,  and,  in  humble  adoration, 
repeat  the  language  of  the  sacred  book,  '  He  inhabiteth 
eternity.  His  presence  fiUeth  immensity,  and  of  His  king- 
dom there  is  no  end  ! ' 

"  Such,  indeed,  is  the  effect  produced  by  the  telescopic 
explorations  of  the  universe,  that  man  has  ceased  to  doubt 
the  infinitude  of  God's  empire,  and  now  limits  his  ambition 
to  a  deeper  penetration  into  its  grandeur,  without  ever 
indulging  the  thought  that  he  shall  by  any  power  pierce 
beyond  its  mighty  limits.  Lo !  these  are  parts  of  His 
ways,  but  the  thunder  of  His  power  who  can  understand  ?  " 

Besides  this  instrument,  the  next  to  it  are  the  transit 
and  clock  for  obser^-ing  and  keeping  correct  time,  and  the 
mural  circle,  which  4s  used  in  measuring  the  distance  of 
stars  from  the  zenith,  or  point  overhead — the  central  spot 
in  the  blue  arch.  There  are  also  barometers,  thermome- 
ters, &c. 

And  w^ould  you  like  to  know  when  the  first  palace  for 
a  star-gazer  was  built  ? 


42  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

It  was  commenced  in  1667,  and  finished  in  1671,  at 
Paris,  France,  by  Louis  XIY.  It  was  liere  that  Picard, 
the  superintendent,  made  calculations  which  furnished  the 
great  Newton  with  very  valuable  help  in  demonstrating 
the  sublime  law  of  gravitation,  suggested  by  the  falling 
apple.     Leverrier  is  at  the  head  of  it  now. 

But  where  would  you  guess  is  the  largest  observatory  ? 

Do  you  recollect  who  began  the  Crimean  war,  in 
which  three  empires  were  engaged  ? 

Yes,  the  Emperor  Nicholas. 

In  1839,  he  had  erected  at  Pultowa,  ten  miles  from 
St.  Petersburg,  an  Imperial  Observatory.  It  cost  half  a 
million  of  dollars,  and  fifty  thousand  more  are  annually 
appropriated  for  its  management.  More  than  a  hundred 
families  are  connected  with  its  operations,  and  it  is  the 
best  furnished  and  endowed  in  all  Europe.  The  cele- 
brated M.  Struve  superintends  it.  His  name,  as  you 
will  learn  hereafter,  is  forever  associated  with  that  of  the 
lamented  Mitchel. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

The  New  World  waked  up  to  the  Importance  of  "Watch-towers  for  the  Stars — 
A 'Wonderful  Sight— Obserratories  Built —Professor  Mitchel's  great  Enter- 
prise—The  First  Lecture— Onward. 

FEW  years  since,  we  were  entirely  dependent  on 

tiie  Old  World,  especially  upon  England,  for  the 

discoveries   in   astronomy.      The  people  of  in- 

^^)x^    telligence  even,  did  not  care  for  any  thing  so  far 

above  the  business  of  a  newly-settled  hemisphere. 

About  the  first  thing  that  waked  up  scientific  men  in 

this  country,  was  the  transit  of  Venus,  June  3d,  1769. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  you  inquire. 

The  word  transit,  you  know,  means  a  passing,  as  of 
goods  over  the  country,  from  one  point  to  another.  When 
applied  to  Venus,  the  beautiful  m.orning  and  evening  star 
by  turns,  it  indicates  a  wonderful  event. 

It  has  happened  but  three  times,  it  is  believed,  since 
the  creation  of  the  world. 

The  path  of  the  planet  is  across  the  sun's  face  ;  that 


4A  LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

is,  it  passes  between  us  and  the  luminary  of  day,  and 
looks  like  a  little  blot  on  its  surface. 

This  phenomenon  requires  such  a  position  of  the  earth 
and  Venus  in  regard  to  the  sun,  that  it  can  rarely  occur. 

The  first  time  it  was  seen  was  in  1639,  when  a  single 
person  beheld  the  beautiful  sight.  Young  Horrocks,  liv- 
ing near  Liverpool,  England,  suspected  the  thing  would 
occur,  and  watched  the  result  of  his  calculations.  How 
intensely  he  waited  for  the  grand  spectacle ;  because 
never  seen  before,  and  attended  with  fresh  light  upon  the 
science  of  astronomy.  He  could  scarcely  eat  or  sleep  for 
days.  But  near  the  time  for  the  expected  wonder,  the 
hour  of  divine  worship  arrived.  Few,  indeed,  would  have 
risked  the  loss  by  going  to  the  House  of  God.  Horrocks 
went — bowed  to  the  "  King  of  kings,"  and  returning, 
"  looked  through  the  tube  of  his  instrument,  and  lo  !  the 
speck  was  in  the  "  sun's  eye  !  " 

In  1761,  the  swift  revolutions  of  the  heavenly  bodies 
brought  again  the  transit.  Astronomers  from  England, 
France,  and  Russia,  were  scattered  round  the  globe,  from 
Siberia  to  the  South  Sea,  to  be  sure  of  clear,  accurate, 
and  varied  observations. 

Eight  years  later,  the  spectacle,  it  was  predicted, 
would  recur.  In  January,  1769,  our  scientific  men  began 
to  get  ready  for  the  anticipated  sight.  They  selected  dif- 
erent  points  for  watching  the  little  black  ball  floating  on 
the  sea  of  fire.     Temporary  watch-towers  were  soon  after 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  45 

erected,  and  aid  to  build  better  and  permanent  ones,  was 
solicited  from  State  Governments  in  vain.  Money  and 
politics,  not  stars,  occupied  the  thoughts  of  legislators. 

In  1825,  John  Quincy  Adams,  President  of  the  United 
States,  recommended  in  eloquent  language,  and  urged 
with  strong  arguments,  the  appropriation  of  money  by 
Congress,  to  build  a  national  university  and  observatory. 

And  what  did  the  people  say?  They  treated  the 
pplendid  project  as  the  Romish  priesthood  did  Galileo, 
because  he  said  the  earth  turned  on  its  axis,  excepting  the 
imprisonment  of  its  advocates.  They  ridiculed  the  idle 
fancy — the  proposed  waste  of  Government  funds. 

The  years  vanished  ;  for  the  world  rolled  on,  and  the 
sun  and  the  stars  swept  along  their  high  pathways. 

Meanwhile  Yale  College,  in  1830,  placed  a  fine  tele- 
scope in  the  steeple  of  a  college  building,  which  was  al- 
most a  prison  for  it. 

Williams'  College,  Western  Reserve,  and  other  insti- 
tutions, followed  in  the  erection  of  observatories,  and  put- 
ting in  them  good,  but  not  the  most  powerful  instruments. 
The  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  ten  years  after 
Cadet  Mitchel  left  its  walls,  built  a  noble  edifice  for  the 
library,  having  three  towers  for  the  use  of  optical  in- 
struments. In  1842,  Professor  Mitchel  determined  to 
devote  himself  to  the  erection  of  an  observatory  that 
would  compare  with  those  in  Europe — at  least  be  entitled 
to  the  name.     Congress,  about  the  same  time,  began  to 


46  LITE    OF    GENERAL   MnCHEL. 

act  with  reference  to  a  national  edifice  for  naval  and 
astronomical  pui'poses.  He  was  alone  in  his  enter- 
prise. And  now  we  come  to  a  new  exhibition  of  the 
energy  and  hopeful  perseverance  of  the  untiring  Mitchel. 
You  have  another  illustration  of  the  great  lesson  of  liis 
useful  life ;  the  resolute  will,  seizing  every  opportunity 
for  success  in  the  noblest  attainments,  made  sacred  and 
sublime  by  his  faith  in  God.  No  timid,  vacillating,  or 
selfish  man  would  have  conceived  the  enterprise  of  build- 
ing an  observatory  which  should  have  no  superior  in  the 
country  for  years  to  come,  and  furnishing  it  with  the  best 
instruments  the  world  could  produce. 

But  hovv^  shall  the  professor,  without  fortune,  begin 
the  undertaking?  The  business  communities  care  but 
little  about  the  stars  ;  the  glitter  of  coin,  or  schemes  that 
will  make  it,  move  the  busy  throng  crowding  the  market- 
place and  thoroughfares  of  commercial  activity. 

The  gem'us  that  knows  no  failure  in  a  worthy  cause, 
and  had  never  repeated  for  himself  the  word  "  can't," 
thinks  and  dreams  over  the  grand  idea.  He  knows  that  it 
will  seem  to  many  like  the  extravagant  scheme  of  an  en- 
thusiast. But  he  remembers  that  Columbus  was  regarded 
as  a  lunatic  while  he  mused  and  wept  over  his  mental 
discovery  of  a  hemisphere,  which  none  were  ready  to  help 
him  make  a  splendid  reality.  Kings  and  queens  smiled 
at  his  harmless  fancies,  while  he  heard  "v\dth  his  inward 
ear  the  shining  sm-f  breaking  upon  the  shores  of  unknoTMa 


LITE   OF    GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  47 

lands,  and  saw  the  treasures  of  half  the  world  lying  at  his 
feet.  The  navigator  succeeded,  because  he  thought  not 
of  final  defeat.  Professor  IVIitchel  saw,  in  his  imagination, 
the  massive  structure  on  some  green  summit,  and  himself 
behind  the  tube,  whose  glasses  revealed  resplendent  and 
hitherto  unseen  wonders  in  the  star-sown  fields  of  ether. 
The  edifice  must  be  reared  to  science,  the  country,  and 
God.  He  could  devise  no  plan  to  get  the  ear  and  awaken 
the  interest  of  the  people,  unless  he  could  excite  enthu- 
siasm through  the  high  themes  which  filled  and  delighted 
his  soul. 

One  day  it  was  announced  by  a  "  poster,"  in  the  hall 
of  Cincinnati  College,  and  a  notice  in  the  daily  papers  of 
the  city,  that  Professor  Mitchel  would  commence  a  series 
of  lectures  in  the  audience  room  of  that  institution. 
The  astronomer  finds  it  necessary  to  use  his  tact  in 
this  bait  for  the  public.  For  however  excellent  the  imme- 
diate instruction,  his  object  is  to  catch  his  hearers  in  the 
golden  meshes  of  his  yet  imaginary  observatory.  And 
just  as  you,  young  reader,  have  gone  by  youi'self,  tools  in 
hand,  to  work  out  some  ideal  model  of  miniature  mechan- 
ism, the  professor  goes  to  his  study,  to  invent  and  con- 
struct a  machine  for  exhibiting  in  brilliant  light,  and 
greatly  magnified,  the  beautiful  and  wonderful  telescopic 
views,  on  paper,  taken  in  the  silence  of  the  night,  when 
those  whom  they  were  to  delight  were  asleep. 

The  evenini?  for  the  first  lecture  came.      Such  had 


48  LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

been  the  efforts  of  friends  of  the  man  and  the  cause,  that 
before  the  hour  had  struck  for  the  experiment,  that  had 
distui'bed  the  very  repose  of  the  lecturer,  tlirough  the 
open  doors  of  the  College  Hall  a  large  procession  of  intel- 
ligent citizens  poured  into  the  finely-illuminated  room. 

The  extempore  Stereopticon  was  a  success,  and  is  ready 
for  the  exhibition.  Manly,  yet  modest,  is  the  bearing  of 
the  "  star-gazer"  as  he  takes  his  position,  surrounded  by 
members  of  the  faculty  and  anxious  friends — anxious,  not 
in  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  lectm'e,  but  the  effect  of  the 
occasion  on  the  scheme  which  suggested  it. 

And  I  am  sure  my  intelligent  reader  will  love  to  fol- 
low the  astronomer  through  a  few  passages  of  this  opening 
and  most  eloOj^uent  lecture,  and  others  vrhich  succeeded  it. 
How  sublimely  he  walks  among  the  ages  past,  and  through 
the  starry  depths ! 

"  The  starry  heavens  do  not  display  their  glittering 
constellations  in  the  glare  of  day,  while  the  rush  and  tur- 
moil of  business  incapacitate  man  for  the  enjoyment  of 
their  solemn  grandeur.  It  is  in  the  stillness  of  the  mid- 
night hour,  when  all  nature  is  hushed  in  repose,  when 
the  hum  of  the  world's  ongoing  is  no  longer  heard,  that 
the  planets  roll  and  shine,  and  the  bright  stars,  trooping 
through  the  deep  heavens,  speak  to  the  willing  spirit  that 
would  learn  their  mysterious  being. 

"  Often  have  I  swept  backward  in  imagination  six 
thousand  years,  and  stood  beside  our  Great  Ancestor,  as 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  49 

he  gazed  for  the  first  time  upon  the  going  down  of  the 
sun.  What  strange  sensations  must  have  swept  through 
his  bewildered  mind,  as  he  watched  the  last  departing  rav 
of  the  sinking  orb,  unconscious  whether  he  should  even 
behold  its  return !  Wrapt  in  a  maze  of  thought,  strange 
and  startling,  his  eye  long  lingers  about  the  point  at 
which  the  sun  had  slowly  faded  from  his  view.  A  mys- 
terious darkness,  hitherto  unexperienced,  creeps  over  the 
face  of  nature.  The  beautiful  scenes  of  earth,  which 
through  the  swift  hours  of  the  first  wonderful  day  of  his 
existence,  had  so  charmed  his  senses,  are  slowly  fading 
one  by  one  from  his  dimmed  vision.  A  gloom  deeper 
than  that  which  covers  earth,  steals  across  the  mind  of 
earth's  solitary  inhabitant.  He  raises  his  inquiring  gaze 
toward  heaven,  and  lo !  a  silver  crescent  of  light,  clear 
and  beautiful,  hanging  in  the  Western  sky,  meets  his  as- 
tonished eye.  The  young  moon  charms  his  untutored 
vision,  and  leads  him  upward  to  her  bright  attendants, 
which  are  now  stealing,  one  by  one,  from  out  the  deep 
blue  sky.  The  solitary  gazer  bows,  and  wonders,  and 
adores.  The  hours  glide  by — the  silver  moon  is  gone — 
the  stars  are  rising,  slowly  ascending  the  heights  of 
heaven — and  solemnly  sweeping  downward  in  the  still- 
ness of  the  night.  The  first  grand  revolution  to  mortal 
vision  is  nearly  completed.  A  faint  streak  of  rosy  light 
is  seen  in  the  East — it  brightens — the  stars  fade — the 
planets  are  extinguished — the  eye  is  fixed  in  mute  aston- 
8 


50  LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

ishment  on  the  growing  splendor,  till  the  first  rays  of  the 
returning  sun  dart  their  radiance  on  the  young  earth  and 
its  solitary  inhabitant.  To  him  '  the  evening  and  the 
morning  were  the  first  day/ 

"  The  curiosity  excited  on  this  fii'st  solemn  night — the 
consciousness  that  in  the  heavens  God  had  declared  his 
glory — the  eager  desire  to  comprehend  the  mysteries  that 
dv/ell  in  these  bright  orbs,  have  clung  to  the  descendants 
of  him  who  first  watched  and  vf  ondered,  through  the  long 
lapse  of  six  thousand  years.  In  this  boundless  field  of 
investigatioli,  human  genius  has  won  its  most  signal  vic- 
tories. Music  is  here — ^but  it  is  the  deep  and  solemn 
harmony  of  the  spheres.  Poetry  is  here — ^but  it  must  be 
read  in  the  characters  of  light,  written  on  the  sable  gar- 
ments of  night.  Architecture  is  here — ^but  it  is  the  colos- 
sal structure  of  sun  and  system,  of  cluster  and  universe. 
Eloquence  is  here — but  '  there  is  neither  speech  nor  lan- 
guage. Its  voice  is  not  heard,'  yet  its  resistless  sweep 
comes  over  us  in  the  mighty  periods  of  revolving  worlds. 

"  Shall  we  not  listen  to  this  music,  because  it  is  deep 
and  solemn  ?  Shall  we  not  read  this  poetry,  because  its 
letters  are  the  stars  of  heaven  ?  Shall  we  refuse  to  con- 
template this  architecture,  because  '  its  architecture,  its 
archways,  seem  ghostly  from  infinitude '  ?  Shall  we  turn 
away  from  this  surging  eloquence,  because  its  utterance 
is  made  through  sweeping  worlds  ?  No ;  the  mind  is 
ever  inquisitive,  ever  ready  to  attempt  to  scale  the  most 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  51 

rugged  steps.  Wake  up  its  enthusiasm — fling  the  light 
of  hope  in  its  pathway,  and  no  matter  how  rough,  and 
steep,  and  rocky  it  may  prove,  onward!  is  the  word 
which  charms  its  willing  powers." 

How  beautifully  does  the  life  of  the  orator  illustrate 
these  last  words  !  He  had  been  charmed  to  duty,  and 
cheered  in  the  trial  of  courage  from  his  earliest  boyhood, 
by  the  music  of  that  single  lesson  of  the  stars,  onward  I 

And  the  wonderful  orations,  we  may  call  them,  which 
week  after  week  fell  from  his  lips,  carried  the  delighted 
hearers  "  onward"  over  the  whole  field  of  time.  Like  a  daz- 
zling comet,  he  went  among  the  mighty  systems  of  worlds, 
and  led  the  mind  along  the  track  of  discovery  to  the  mag- 
nificent telescopic  revelations  of  the  present.  With  the 
first  "  star-gazers "  he  seemed  to  stand  and  watch  the 
great  over-arching  sky,  and  decipher  the  fact  that  there 
was  real  and  apparent  motion  there  ;  that  is,  there  were 
objects  moving,  and  others  which  only  seemed  to  be  so, 
like  the  trees  when  the  cars  alone  change  their  place : 
then  he  studied  with  them  in  the  dim  light  of  early  ages, 
the  revolutions  of  that  nearest  planet  the  moon,  the  grand 
march  of  the  constellations,  the  flight  of  the  terror-inspiring 
comets,  and  appearance  of  the  dreaded  eclipses,  while  the 
rays  of  science  brightened  along  the  track  of  discovery ; 
tin  he  looked  among  the  glories  which  stream  upon  the 
vision  of  the  latest  "  sentinels  on  the  watch  towers"  of 
the  starry  heavens. 


52  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   SIITCHEL. 

His  strong  and  fiery  imagination  swept  from  the 
"hill-tops  of  Eden"  to  the  heights  of  America,  from 
which  the  inquiring  eye  has  been  lifted  to  the  sky.  How 
strange  it  is  that  we  do  not  know,  and  shall  never  know 
on  earth,  when  and  where,  and  by  whom  the  first  intelli- 
gent observation  of  the  heavens  was  made !  Hear  the 
sublime  language  of  the  professor  : 

*'  I  would  fain  stand  at  the  very  source  of  discovery, 
and  commence  with  that  unknown  godlike  mind  which 
first  conceived  the  grand  thought  that  even  these  mys- 
terious stars  might  be  read,  and  that  the  bright  page 
which  was  nightly  unfolded  to  the  vision  of  man  needed 
no  interpreter  of  its  solemn  beauties  but  human  genius. 
On  some  lofty  peak  he  stood,  in  the  stillness  of  the  mid- 
night hour,  with  the  listening  stars  as  witnesses  of  his 
vows,  and  there  conscious  of  his  high  destiny,  and  that 
of  his  race,  resolves  to  commence  the  work  of  ages. 
'  Here,*  he  exclaims,  '  is  my  watch  tower,  and  yonder 
bright  orbs  are  henceforth  my  solitary  companions.  Night 
after  night,  year  after  year,  will  I  watch  and  wait,  ponder 
and  reflect,  until  some  ray  shall  pierce  the  deep  gloom 
which  now  ^vraps  the  world.' 

"  Thus  resolved  the  unknown  founder  of  the  science 
of  the  stars.  His  name  and  country  are  lost  forever. 
What  matters  this  since  his  works,  his  discoveries,  have 
endured  for  thousands  of  years,  and  will  endure  as  long 


LIFE   OF   GENEKAL   MITCHEL.  63 

as  the  moon  shall  continue  to  fill  her  silver  horn,  and  the 
planets  to  roll  and  shine." 

Here  you  have  also  a  fine  glimpse  of  our  hero's  char- 
acter. Not  anxious  about  the  world's  changing  mood, 
his  great  concern  was  to  do  his  work  well,  and  leave  to 
God  and  posterity  his  fame. 


CHAPTER  V. 

An  Eclipse— Who  first  solved  the  awful  Mystery  ?— "What  are  Comets  ?— Danger 
of  burning  the  Earth— Other  "Wonders— The  Dream, 

\Y  reader,  have  you  seen  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  or 
moon?  You  know  what  it  is?  When  the 
luminary  of  day  is  veiled,  the  moon  has  come 
between  us  and  it,  just  where  the  traclxs  cross  ; 
that  is,  at  the  point  in  their  orbits  which  brings 
them  in  a  line  with  the  earth.  Of  course  we  cannot  see 
through  the  moon,  and  so  the  sun  is  obscured. 

When  the  moon  is  eclipsed,  the  earth  gets  in  a  similar 
way  between  the  sun  and  moon,  and  the  light  is  cut  off 
from  the  satellite  of  our  world.  You  will  be  interested 
in  the  orator's  description  of  the  discovery  of  this  simple 
fact  that  robbed  the  eclipse  of  the  horrors  which  had  terri- 
fied the  people.  A  watcher  of  the  heavenly  bodies  had 
become  convinced  that  the  dreaded  darkness  was  caused 
by  a  natural  law  of  revolution,  and  made  calculations  ac- 
cordingly.    Up  to  this  time  nobody  knew  or  could  guess 


LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   MITCHEL.  55 

what  blackened  the  face  of  the  sun  and  moon.  It  is  not 
strange  that  the  night  coming  at  morning  or  midday, 
should  alarm  the  inhabitants  wherever  it  was  seen. 

I  think  we  should  be  just  as  much  alarmed  were  it 
not  for  the  labors  of  that  man  ages  since,  and  his  successors 
in  astronomical  studies.  Let  us  go  back  over  long  cen- 
turies. The  prophet  of  such  an  event,  explaining  the 
dark  marvel  of  the  past  since  creation's  dawn,  has  arisen. 
Every  thing  is  ready  for  predicting  the  sun's  hiding  behind 
the  moon.     Says  the  eloquent  Mitchel : 

"  He  announces  to  the  startled  inhabitants  of  the  world 
that  the  sun  shall  expire  in  dark  eclipse.  Bold  predic- 
tion !  mysterious  prophet !  with  what  scorn  must  the  im- 
thinking  world  have  received  this  solemn  declaration. 
How  slowly  do  the  moons  roll  away,  and  with  what  in- 
tense anxiety  does  the  stern  philosopher  av\^ait  the  coming 
of  that  day  which  should  crov/n  him  with  victory,  or  dash 
him  to  the  ground  in  ruin  and  disgrace  !  Time  to  him 
moves  on  leaden  wings ;  day  after  day,  and  at  last  hour 
after  hour,  roll  heavily  away.  The  last  night  is  gone — 
the  moon  has  disappeared  from  his  eagle  gaze  in  her  ap- 
proach to  the  sun,  and  the  dawn  of  the  eventful  day 
breaks  in  beauty  on  a  slumbering  world. 

"  This  daring  man,  stern  in  his  faith,  climbs  alone  to 
his  rocky  home,  and  greets  the  sun  as  he  rises  and  mounts 
the  heavens,  scattering  brightness  and  glory  in  his  path. 
Beneath  him  is  spread  out  the  populous  city,  already 


56  LITE  OF  ge:xeral  mitchel. 

teeming  with  life  and  activity.  The  busy  morning  hum 
rises  on  the  still  air  and  reaches  the  watching  place  of  the 
solitary  astronomer.  The  thousands  below  him,  uncon- 
scious of  his  intense  anxiety,  buoyant  with  life,  joyously 
pursue  their  rounds  of  business  and  of  amusement.  The 
sun  slowly  climbs  the  heavens,  round,  and  bright,  and 
full-orbed.  The  lone  tenant  of  the  mountain-top  almost 
begins  to  waver  in  his  faith,  as  the  morning  hours  roll 
away.  But  the  time  of  his  triumph,  long  delayed,  at 
length  begins  to  dawn ;  a  pale  and  sickly  hue  creeps  over 
the  face  of  nature.  The  sun  has  reached  his  highest 
point,  but  his  splendor  is  dimmed,  his  light  is  feeble.  At 
last  it  comes  !  Blackness  is  eating  away  his  round  disc  ; 
onward,  with  slow  but  steady  pace,  the  dark  veil  moves, 
blacker  than  a  thousand  nights — ^the  gloom  deepens — ^the 
ghastly  hue  of  death  covers  the  universe — ^the  last  ray  is 
gone,  and  horror  reigns.  A  wail  of  terror  fills  the  murky 
air  ;  the  clangor  of  brazen  trumpets  resounds  ;  an  agony 
of  despair  dashes  the  stricken  millions  to  the  ground, 
while  that  lone  man,  erect  on  his  rocky  summit,  with 
arms  outstretched  to~  heaven,  pours  forth  the  gTateful 
gushings  of  his  heart  to  God,  who  had  crowned  his  efforts 
with  triumphant  victory.  It  is  to  me  the  proudest  vic- 
tory that  genius  ever  won.  It  was  the  conquering  of 
nature,  of  ignorance,  of  superstition,  of  terror,  all  at  a 
single  blow,  and  that  blow  struck  by  a  single  arm." 

"  Who,"  you  ask,  ''  was  this  wonderful  man,  whom 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  67 

*  his  fellows  must  have  regarded  as  little  less  than  a 
god?'*'  His  fame  is  "inscribed  on  the  very  heavens," 
but  lost  on  earth.  No  one  can  tell  his  name  or  nation. 
Such  is  human  glory  !    But  gi'eat  and  good  deeds  never  die, 

"A  thousand  years  roll  by;"  and  in  ancient  and 
splendid  Babylon  the  record  of  an  eclipse  is  made, 
"  which  is  safely  wafted  down  the  stream  of  time."  A 
thousand  years  more  have  swept  by,  and  among  the 
fierce  Arabs  again  the  prediction  is  made,  and  the  eclipse 
appears.  And  then  after  a  thousand  years  are  added  to 
those  already  gone,  the  astronomer  of  Paris  observes  the 
same  phenomenon. 

Is  it  not  amazing  that  the  prophets  of  eclipses,  whose 
records  cover  three  thousand  years,  should  exactly  agree  ? 
That  the  Frenchman  should  study  the  record  of  the  Baby- 
lonian who  looked  on  the  sun  and  moon  so  long  before  ? 
You  have  learned  how  the  great  law  of  gravitation,  the 
mysterious  bond  holding  planets,  suns,  and  systems  to- 
gether, was  discovered  by  Isaac  Newton,  A  falling 
apple  led  him  to  ask  the  natural  question,  "  What  brings 
it  to  the  ground?"  That  apple  was  the  key  to  wonderg 
vast  as  God's  universe. 

Little  thoughts  and  little  things  are  not  to  be  lightly 
esteemed ;  they  have  been  the  beginning  of  world-wide 
discoveries  and  eternal  destinies. 

We  cannot  follow  the  celestial  orator  through  his  un« 
rivalled  lectures.  But  since  writing  this  a  young  lad  said  s 
2* 


68  LIFE    OF    GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

"  Tell  us  about  the  comets,  and  the  boys  will  be  inters 
terested.  "What  did  General  Mitchel  say  about  them?" 
He  had  just  read  that  a  learned  professor  in  Munich,  a  city 
of  which  I  shall  have  more  to  say  hereafter,  predicted 
the  burning  of  the  world  in  1865  by  a  comet.  Next 
to  the  eclipse  has  this  wanderer  frightened  the  world. 

The  boy's  questions  were  doubtless  the  same  you 
would  ask,  and  I  will  give  them  with  the  answers. 

"  What  are  comets  ?  " 

"It  is  a  very  hard  question  to  answer.  They  sud- 
denly blaze  forth  and  sweep  through  the  heavens  with 
amazing  velocity.  Their  aspect  is  often  terrific.  Their 
paths  are  irreg-ular,  and  from  all  points  of  the  compass 
they  rush  toward  and  around  the  sun.  What  they  are 
no  man  has  yet  been  able  to  tell." 

"  I  just  recollect  seeing  one  a  few  years  ago  ;  but  will 
you  describe  their  appearance  ?  " 

"  The  comet  of  1858  was  very  beautiful.  It  resem- 
bled a  plume ;  the  trail  of  light  flowing  backward  from 
the  splendid  starlike  brow.  Others  have  been  double ; 
and  the  great  comet  of  1744  had  six  luminous  trains, 
which  streamed  above  the  horizon  long  after  the  globe  of 
splendor  had  sunk  below  it.  The  Catholics,  who  were 
afraid  of  the  armies  of  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  at  that  time, 
offered  this  prayer  :  '  The  Lord  save  us  from  the  Devil, 
the  Turk,  and  the  Comet ! ' " 

"  Why  were  people  afraid  of  comets  ?  " 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  69 

*'  Because  they  seemed  to  be  wild  and  wandering  mes- 
sengers from  distant  regions,  having  no  connection  with 
our  starry  dome.  They  were  regarded  as  omens  of  war, 
pestilence,  and  famine." 

"  How  did  astronomers  find  out  they  were  not?" 

"  Observation  proved  that  these  fiery  corsairs  of  the 
blue  deep  were,  after  all,  governed  by  the  same  law  of 
gravitation  which  binds  all  the  worlds  together.  And 
though  some  of  them  plunge  away  for  several  hundred 
years  into  space,  and  then  return,  they  had  their  appoint- 
ed periods,  like  the  earth  and  moon." 

"  Is  there  really  any  danger  that  a  comet  will  destroy 
the  world  ?  " 

"  Newton,  Mitchel,  and  others  think  not ;  at  least 
that  the  collision  is  not  likely  to  occur.  If  it  did  they 
believe  the  curious  body  is  too  light,  or  cloudlike,  to  jostle 
our  planet  out  of  its  orbit,  or  set  it  on  fire.  Yet  none  can 
deny  that  God  could  make  it  a  torch  to  kindle  '  nature's 
funeral  pile.' " 

The  lad  looked  thoughtful.  The  possibility  of  the 
world's  meeting  with  a  comet  troubled  him.  I  could  only 
cheer  him  with  the  assurance  that  a  sincere  trust  in  Him 
who  created  the  comet,  would  give  us 

"  A  heart  for  any  fate," 

He  then  inquired  about  the  milky  way,  made  of  re- 
splendent suns,  so  far  away  you  cannot  separate  them 


60  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   I^IITCHEL. 

with  the  eye.  And  many  of  the  nebulge  or  luminous 
clouds  floating  in  the  blue  depths  "blaze  with  countless 
stars  "  when  a  powerful  telescope  is  directed  to  them. 

Professor  Mitchel  seemed  to  forget  that  he  was  on 
earth,  in  dwelling  on  the  boundless  grandeur  of  the  uni- 
verse, which  he  had  viewed  during  the  "  night  watches," 
and  talked  as  if  he  were  among  the  resplendent  worlds 
and  discoursing  from  the  skies.  He  was  like  the  im- 
aginary traveller  of  the  German  poet,  quoted  by  him  to 
express  his  overvvdielming  visions  of  Jehovah's  power, 
wisdom,  and  omniscience  in  the  celestial  vault.  Here  is 
the  singular  and  beautiful  fancy  : 

''  God  called  up  from  dreams  a  man  into  the  vesti- 
bule of  heaven,  saying,  '  Come  thou  hither  and  see  the 
glory  of  my  house.' 

"  And  to  the  servants  that  stood  around  the  throne,  he 
eaid :  '  Take  him,  and  undress  him  from  his  robes  of 
flesh  I  cleanse  his  vision,  and  put  a  new  breath  in  his 
nostrils :  only  touch  not  Avith  any  change  his  human 
heart — the  heart  that  weeps  and  trembles.' 

"  It  was  done  ;  and  with  a  mighty  angel  for  his  guide, 
the  man  stood  ready  for  his  infinite  voyage.  From  the 
terraces  of  heaven,  without  sound  or  farewell,  at  once 
they  wheeled  away  into  endless  space.  *  *  *  In  a 
moment  the  rushing  of  planets  was  upon  them  ;  in  a  mo- 
ment the  blazing  of  suns  was  around  them.  On  the  right 
hand  and  on  the  left  towered  mighty  constellations,  form- 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  61 

ing  triumphal  gates  and  archways  that  seemed  ghostly 
from  infinitude.  Suddenly  as  they  swept  past  systems 
and  worlds,  a  cry  arose  that  other  heights  and  other 
depths  were  nearing,  were  at  hand. 

"  The  man  sighed,  and  stopped  and  shuddered  and 
wept.  His  overladened  heart  uttered  itself  in  tears,  and 
he  said :  '  Angel,  I  will  go  no  farther.  Insufferable  is 
the  glory  of  God.  Let  me  lie  down  in  the  grave,  and 
hide  me  from  the  infinite  ;  for  end  I  see  there  is  none.' 

"  And  from  all  the  listening  stars  that  shone  around 
issued  a  choral  voice — '  The  man  speaks  truly ;  end 
there  is  none  that  ever  yet  we  heard  of.' 

"  '  End  is  there  none?'  the  angel  solemnly  demanded. 
*  Is  there  indeed  no  end  ?  and  is  this  the  sorrow  that 
kills  you  ? ' 

''  But  no  voice  answered  that  he  might  answer  him- 
self. Then  the  angel  threw  up  his  glorious  hands  to  the 
heaven  of  heaven,  saying : 

"  '  End  there  is  none  in  the  universe  of  God.  Lo  ! 
also  there  is  no  beginning.* " 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Tlie  Astronomer  a  Business  Man— His  Noble  Energy — Two  Eules  of  liia  Life- 
Starts  for  Europe — Yoyage — The  Stranger  in  England — In  Paris— Munich — 
The  Treasure — The  Professor  in  Greenwich— A  Curious  old  Town — Its 
Idons. 

^HE  pictorial  illustrations  of  the  lecture  were  very 
beautiful.     The  splendor  of  thought  and  diction 
f^^y^^     were  the  more  surprising,  because  unaided  by 
QJ^.     manuscript  in  the  delivery.     The  audience  were 
^       fascinated.     Week  after  week  the  throng  gath- 
ered around  the  gifted  astronomer,  who  meanwhile,  in 
private  conversation  and  in  his  solitary  moments,  was 
maturing  a  plan  to  secure  the  object  which  led  him  to  the 
platform  of  oratory  unrivalled  in  that,  or  any  other  college. 
When  the  last  lecture  was  announced,  he  was  re- 
quested to  repeat  it  in  one  of  the  largest  churches  of  the 
city.     This  was  the   opportunity  toward  which  all  his 
efforts  had  been  tending.     Two  thousand  people  assem- 
bled.    The  simple  yet  lofty  eloquence  enchained  the  mass 
which  packed  the  spacious  tem.ple  to  the  last  echo  of  the 


LIFE    OF   GENEKAL   MITCHEL.  63 

orator's  voice.  When  the  strain  of  thrilling  address  ceased, 
the  professor  came  do"\\Ti  from  the  glor  j  and  music  of  the 
spheres  to  practical  business,  and  requested  the  audience 
''  to  give  him  a  few  minutes  of  time,  for  the  explanation  of 
a  matter  which  it  was  hoped  would  not  be  received  with- 
out some  feelings  of  interest  and  approbation."  He  was 
now  among  the  "  money  changers."  Business-like,  he 
goes  right  to  their  sober,  practical  judgments  with  the 
terrestrial  part  of  his  vrork.  It  is  amusing  to  think  of 
such  a  transition — from  the  star-Kt  dome  above  them,  to 
the  counting-room  and  safe.  After  a  simple,  honest 
statement,  he  went  on  with  his  appeal  in  these  words  : 
"You  look  at  Europe,  and  find  rapid  advancement  in 
astronomy,  and  all  over  the  world  costly  observatories  are 
erected.  In  Russia,  Germany,  France,  and  England,  there 
are  instruments  in  great  variety  and  magnificence,  while 
there  is  an  utter  deficiency  in  our  own  country  in  every 
thing  pertaining  to  the  science  of  the  stars."  The  fact 
that  monarchs  lavished  treasures  on  the  temples  of  science, 
that  the  people  must  build  them  here,  was  urged ;  the 
assertion  that  the  reliance  on  these  would  be  a  vain  one, 
suggested  ;  and  finally,  the  assurance  given  that  the  ques- 
tion would  now  be  tested  and  settled.  For  he  had  de- 
termined to  devote  jive  years  of  faithful  eftbrt  to  secure 
the  projected  observatory. 

This  was  always  a  quality  of  General  Mitchel's  char- 
acter.    He  never  said  go  simply,  in  a  good  enterprise,  but 


64  LITE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

"  come  with  me."  It  was  his  rule  to  lead,  as  well  as 
point  the  way. 

A  murmer  of  applause  went  thi'ough  the  vast  assem- 
blage. The  plan  was  submitted.  The  amount  needed 
was  to  be  divided  into  shares  of  twenty-five  dollars  each ; 
nothing  was  to  be  done  till  three  hundred  names  were 
obtained,  and  each  subscriber  was  to  have  the  privileges 
of  the  observatory.  This  was  accomplished,  and  the 
heroic  spirit  of  the  founder  of  the  star-tower,  was  assured 
of  triumph.  Hear  the  pure  and  inspiring  words  of  his 
lips  : 

"  Two  resolutions  were  taken  at  the  outset,  to  which  I 
am  indebted  for  any  success  which  may  have  attended 
my  ovm  personal  efforts.  First.  To  work  faithfully  for 
Jive  years^  during  all  the  leisure  which  could  be  spared  from 
my  regular  duties.  Second.  Never  to  become  angry  xmdev 
any  provocation  while  in  the  prosecution  of  this  enter- 
prise." 

Let  every  youth  catch  the  spirit  of  perseverance  and 
patience  breathed  in  these  resolves,  which  were  faith- 
fully kept  by  him.  He  believed  and  tried  the  truth  of  the 
heavenly  counsel,  "  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than 
the  mighty ;  and  he  that  ruleth  his  own  spirit  than  he  that 
taketh  a  city." 

Soon  as  the  three  hundred  shareholders  were  obtained 
by  quiet  effort  suceeding  the  lectures,  the  association  thus 
formed  gave  him  permission  to  visit  Europe,  to  see  what 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL    IVHTCHEL.  65 

the  old  world  had  accomplished  in  astronomy,  and  what 
it  might  have  for  him.  It  was  a  happy  day  for  the  pro- 
fessor when  he  turned  his  face  toward  Europe.  No 
purer  earthly  delight  could  make  a  great  heart  beat  with 
quickened  pulsations.  How  wide  the  contrast  between 
the  barefooted  errand  work  of  Miami  and  Lebanon,  and 
the  scientific  mission  to  the  capitals  and  royal  observa- 
tories of  the  mightiest  kingdoms  of  the  earth  !  He  could 
sympathize  with  Columbus  when  his  vessel's  prow  was 
pointed  toward  the  untravelled  seas  where  continents  lay. 

He  hastened  to  New  York,  the  port  of  departure,  and 
June  16th,  1842,  sailed  doT\Ti  the  bay.  With  loving  eyes 
he  watched  the  receding  spires  of  the  great  MetropoKs, 
and  the  shores  on  either  hand,  till  Neversink  faded  from 
the  view.  His  vision  dimmed  mth  the  dew  of  feeling,  for 
his  idolized  family  and  native  land  were  disappearing,  per- 
haps forever,  from  his  sight.  But  his  Christian  faith  hung 
a  bow  of  promise  over  the  darkness  of  distance  behind, 
and  "  flung  the  light  of  hope  "  on  his  pathway  over  the 
sea.  The  flashing  waters  at  night  were  the  beautiful 
foundation  of  his  floating  observatory,  from  which  he 
gazed  with  affection  which  they  seemed  to  reciprocate, 
upon  the  bright  friends  of  his  nightly  vigils,  for  whose 
sake  he  was  self-exiled  for  a  time  to  a  strange  land. 

No  moments  are  wasted  on  the  voyage.  The  traveller 
has  made  activity  the  highest  pleasure.  Between  the 
world  of  stars  above,  the  wonders  of  the  deep,  the  books, 


bb  LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   I^nTCHEL. 

and  a  few  intelligent  friends,  and  the  intense  thinking  over 
his  plans  for  getting  into4he  heavens  and  seeing  for  him- 
self what  was  there  he  had  not  beheld,  the  days  flew  past. 

Sights  and  sounds  of  land  again  began  to  appear. 
Soon  after,  the  shores  of  England  greeted  his  vision,  and 
a  glow  of  new  enthusiasm  spread  over  his  fine  face.  He 
was  near  "Fatherland"  and  the  object  of  his  many 
anxious  thoughts,  a  window  to  the  starry  depths. 

He  went  to  London  and  the  Royal  Observatory  of 
Greenwich,  to  find  the  treasure  that  lured  him  across  the 
Atlantic,  an  object-glass  of  the  largest  size.  In  the  de- 
scription of  the  telescope,  you  recollect  this  expensive  part 
forms  the  distant  object,  bringing  it  before  the  eye-glass, 
through  which  the  observer  gazes  upon  the  remote  orb,  as 
if  it  were  comparatively  near. 

The  gay  capital  of  France,  to  which  he  longed  to  go 
when  Charles  the  Tenth  was  dethroned,  and  draw  the 
revolutionary  sword,  next  attracted  his  steps.  How  dif- 
ferent his  errand  !  Not  the  soldier's  glory,  nor  the  pleas- 
ures of  art,  nor  yet  of  sensual  indulgence,  stirred  his 
ambition.  He  wanted  a  piece  of  rounded  glass ;  and 
Paris,  with  all  its  dissipation,  had  gifted  devotees  of 
science,  and  splendid  instruments  for  its  service.  But 
here,  also,  he  was  disappointed.  He  looked  in  vain  for 
the  creation  of  skill  which  should  open  to  him  when 
in  the  tube  prepared  for  it,  the  marvels  and  glories  of  the 
canopy  studded  with  globes  of  light. 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  67 

That  scientific  centre  of  the  German  States,  Munich, 
was  the  next  goal  of  his  hopes.  The  name,  I  think,  must 
remind  you  of  a  very  fine  poem,  well  nigh  spoiled  by  its 
repetition,  so  often  poorly,  on  the  stage  by  school- 
boys :  Campbell's  "  Battle  of  Hohenlinden."  In  that  the 
shout  is  raised, 

*'  Wave,  Munich,  all  thy  banners  wave, 
And  charge  with  all  thy  chivalry." 

This  ancient  city,  the  capital  of  Bavaria,  is  beautifully 
situated  on  the  Isar  River.  This  stream  flows  through 
an  extensive  plain,  whose  rich  landscape  environs  the 
city. 

The  Park,  Max-Josephs-Platz^  is  one  of  the  very  finest 
in  Europe.  But  there  were  objects  of  greater  interest  to 
Professor  Mitchel  in  the  ancient  city. 

The  museums  of  art  are  wonderful.  For  days  you 
can  see  magnificent  paintings,  even  if  you  look  but  a  few 
moments  at  each.  There  are  nearly  half  a  million  of 
engravings. 

The  university,  about  the  time  Professor  Mitchel  was 
there,  contained  1,471  students,  taught  hy  seventy-six  prO' 
fessors.  In  om*  country  half  that  number  of  students 
would  be  a  very  large  attendance  upon  college  instruction 
by  less  than  a  dozen  professors. 

The  Royal  Library  has  six  hundred  thousand  vol- 
umes.    Another  library  has  two  hundred  thousand  books, 


by  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

with  four  hundred  manuscript  works,  i.  e.,  every  word 
written  with  a  pen. 

The  cathedral  is  a  wonder.  It  was  built  nearly  five 
hundred  years  ago  ;  and  has  two  towers  three  hundred 
and  thirty-three  feet  high — taller  than  any  spire  you  ever 
saw,  I  think. 

The  view  from  these  lofty  towers  is  grand  and  beauti- 
ful. And  there  is  in  one  of  the  squares  an  obelisk,  or 
kind  of  pyramid,  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  made  of 
cannon  taken  by  the  Bavarians  in  their  wars. 

This  city  is  the  residence  of  ambassadors  from  all 
parts  of  Europe.  They  live  in  splendid  style,  and  make 
the  old  city  seem  like  the  home  of  a  score  of  kings. 

But  turn  aside  from  all  these  attractive  scenes  to  that 
plain  pile,  and  enter  its  doors,  and  you  will  see  the  centre 
of  the  professor's  thoughts  ;  it  is  the  manufactory  of  opti- 
cal instruments. 

Munich  has  long  been  famous  for  its  fine  lenses,  and 
every  thing  pertaining  to  telescopes,  and  all  similar  aids 
for  scientific  men. 

No  manufacturer  of  these  instruments  was  more 
famous  than  Frauenhofer.  To  walk  through  his  cabinet, 
or  any  similar  one,  would  interest  the  youngest  of  my 
readers.  Such  a  variety  of  beautiful  mechanism  for 
making  observations  of  earth  and  sky !  M.  Mertz  had 
succeeded  the  reno^Tied  worker  in  these  instruments  to 
annihilate  space,  and  measure  the  visible  universe.     Yet 


LIFE   OF   GKN"EEAL   MITCHEL.  69 

it  was  all  the  same  to  Mitcliel.  No  sooner  had  he  entered 
the  cabinet,  than  his  eye  rested  on  the  polished  crystal 
he  sought.  There  it  lay,  a  foot  in  diameter,  or  three  feet 
in  circimiference,  the  prize  of  his  pilgrimage.  But  to 
mount  it,  that  is,  to  finish  the  instrument,  would  requii'e 
ten  thousand  dollars  and  two  years  of  time. 

The  money  could  and  must  be  secured.  Mr.  Mitchel 
made  a  bargain,  but  with  conditions  that  would  protect 
M.  Mertz  against  loss  if  he  failed  to  raise  the  ten  thou- 
sand dollars. 

He  then  hastened  again  to  Greenwich,  England,  to 
become  a  pupil  there. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  the  reader  to  know  more 
about  this  home  for  a  while,  of  Professor  Mitchel. 

Greenwich  is  in  Kent  County,  three  and  three-fourth 
miles  southeast  of  London  Bridge,  and  contains  one  hun- 
dred and  six  thousand  inhabitants.  It  is  an  old  city, 
with  narrow,  irregular  streets,  some  of  which  are  lower 
than  the  River  Thames. 

If  you  are  not  an  astronomer,  the  first  object  which 
would  attract  your  curiosity,  would  be  the  Naval  Hos- 
pital. It  is  designed  for  veteran,  disabled,  and  unfortu- 
nate seamen.  The  pleasure-loving,  dissipated  Charles 
11. ,  built  it  for  a  palace,  on  the  site  of  the  Greenwich 
House,  which  was  erected  in  the  year  1300.  In  it  the 
queen-daughters  of  Henry  VTII.,  Mary  and  Elizabeth, 
were  born.     Here  Edward  YI.  died. 


TO  LIFE    OF    GEXEEAJL    IiIITCHEL. 

The  pile  was  converted  to  its  present  benevolent  use 
in  the  reign  of  "William  and  Marj,  and  opened  for  in- 
mates in  1705. 

The  situation  is  beautiful,  on  a  terrace  above  the 
river.  The  four  squares  which  form  the  whole,  bear  the 
names  of  the  sovereigns  who  completed  them — Charles, 
Anne,  William,  and  Mary ;  and  with  all  the  buildings, 
cover  forty  acres.  The  magnificent  establishment  is  the 
largest  of  the  kind  in  Europe,  and  I  suppose  in  the  world. 

But  Professor  Mitchel  gave  only  a  small  portion  of 
time  to  this  splendid  monument  of  charity.  Not  very 
far  from  it  stands  the  Royal  Observatory,  formerly 
Greenwich  Castle,  also  founded  by  the  gay  king,  Charles 
II.,  in  1674. 

Here  Flamsteed  studied  the  heavens,  and  gave  Sir 
Isaac  Newton  discoveries,  which  aided  him  greatly  in 
unfolding  his  theory  of  matter ;  thus  one  noble  intellect 
wakes  up  another  to  still  higher  efforts. 

Professor  Airy,  Astronomer  Royal,  that  is  to  say, 
appointed  by  the  king  or  queen,  welcomed  his  gifted 
friend  and  pupil,  whom  he  had  invited  to  come  and  reap 
any  benefit  he  might  be  able  to  secure  there.  Professor 
Airy  saw  at  once  a  rare  intellect  and  a  rare  gentleman,  in 
the  American  rival  to  the  honor  of  new  discoveries  in 
the  vast  fields  of  ether. 

The  stranger  had  gladly  accepted  the  compliment 
which  he  richly  merited.     The  days  and  weeks  went  too 


LITE   OF   GENERAL    MITCHEL.  Tl 

swiftly  bj,  while  the  books,  instruments,  and  nightly  star- 
gazing occupied  his  thoughts.  He  was  not  ashamed 
to  take  his  place  once  more  as  a  learner  at  the  feet  of 
another,  whose  riper  culture  and  experience  might  add  a 
single  new  truth  or  idea  to  his  own  brilliant  attainments. 


>f^^^ 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Professor  Mitchel  leaves  England — Eeaches  Cincinnati — Disappointment — Xot 
Discouraged — He  Toils  on  —  Mr.  Longworth's  Gift  —  The  Corner  Stone  of 
the  Obserratory  is  Laid — Interesting  Ceremonies — The  Astronomer  at  work 
with  the  Mechanics — The  'Watch-tower  Finished. 

)HE  mellow  light  of  October,  1842,  laj  upon  the 
rich  landscapes  of  Old  England,  always  wanting 
in  the  brilliant  coloring  of  our  autumnal  ver- 
jT^p     dure,  when  Professor  Mitchel  embarked  for  his 
Q^       home  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.     His  objects  of 
travel  were  obtained. 

With  a  grateful  and  buoyant  spirit  he  bade  adieu  to 
the  British  Island,  and  sailed  for  New  York. 

Look  where  he  might  on  ocean  or  sky,  he  saw  often, 
and  even  in  "  visions  of  the  night,"  the  solid,  transparent 
circle,  lying  in  the  cabinet  of  M.  Mertz.  He  saw  in 
fancy  more  ;  the  temple  it  would  yet  adorn,  rising  on 
some  fair  summit  near  the  Queen  City  of  the  West. 

Arriving  at  New  York,  he  hurried  on  to  Cincinnati. 
A  meeting  of  the  society  which  sent  him  abroad,  and 
of  other   interested  citizens,  large  and  enthusiastic,  as- 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL.  73 

sembled  to  hear  his  report.  All  were  interested  deeply 
in  the  professor's  story,  and  the  hopeful  beginning  of  the 
work  to  which  his  ardent  soul  was  devoted.  But  a  com- 
mercial crisis  had  come  upon  the  country  during  his 
absence  of  four  months. 

"  What  is  a  commercial  crisis?"  a  reader  inquires. 

A  general  depression  in  business,  arising  from  failures 
among  men  controlling  largely  the  money  market.  The 
causes  are  various.  Sometimes  it  is  the  result  of  specu- 
lation and  extravagance.  The  awful  waste  and  expen- 
diture of  the  war  are  pressing  heavily  on  thousands  in 
our  country,  which,  with  the  mania  for  speculation, 
threaten  much  financial  distress  before  peace  is  restored. 

In  this  paralysis  of  business,  the  most  enthusiastic 
friends  of  the  astronomer  felt  troubled,  and  some  of  them 
too  poor  to  do  all  that  they  had  intended  and  promised. 
Such  an  enterprise — purely  scientific,  and  expensive — 
offering  no  opportunity  for  speculation,  needed  the  most 
prosperous  times. 

And  what  shall  the  undaunted  worker  do?  If  he 
could  get  to  West  Point  without  funds,  he  can  get  to  his 
observatory,  at  length. 

Day  after  day  he  called  on  wealthy  citizens,  urging 
the  claims  of  the  observatory.  See  him  now,  with  elas- 
tic step  and  brightened  brow,  preparing  his  remittance  of 
a  payment  to  M.  Mertz  in  Old  Munich. 

Three  thousand  dollars  !     So  much  is  sure,  and  soon 


74  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

on  the  way  to  Europe.  This  amount  was  demanded  to 
secure  the  object-glass  and  the  completion  of  the  tele- 
scope, when  the  remainder  of  the  price  was  to  be  paid. 
"  The  die  was  cast."  The  order  had  gone  with  the 
money  to  finish  the  magnificent  instrument,  which  must 
have  a  house  in  which  to  keep  and  use  it. 

And  now  the  unresting  brain  and  heart  and  hands 
are  directed  to  this  edifice.  As  yet  not  even  a  site,  a  foot 
of  land  for  its  foundations,  was  procured.  The  professor 
turned  for  help  to  a  very  wealthy  and  enterprising  gen- 
tleman, who  owned  some  of  the  verdant  highlands  near 
the  city. 

He  stated  to  him  in  honest,  earnest  words,  the  wants 
and  embarrassments  of  the  Astronomical  Society.  The 
listener  was  Nicholas  Longworth,  Esq.,  whose  vineyards 
covered  many  acres. 

"  WeU,  Professor  Mitchell,  the  enterprise  must  not 
fail  for  want  of  ground.  Select  four  acres  on  the  hill  in 
my  twenty-five  acre  lot,  and  enclose  it.  It  will  give  me 
great  pleasure  to  present  it  to  the  association." 

"  I  can  present  you,  sir,  in  the  name  of  the  society, 
their  warmest  thanks.  Of  all  eligible  points  for  an  ob- 
servatory it  is  the  most  desirable." 

With  a  lighter  footfall,  and  more  sunny  brow  than  at 
any  moment  since  the  struggle  began  for  his  watch-tower, 
he  left  the  presence  of  the  munificent  donor. 

With  a  loving  eye  he  looked  away  to  the  lofty  hiU, 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  75 

lifting  its  ample  swell  four  hundred  feet  above  the  streets 
of  the  city.  From  its  top,  the  vision  could  sweep  the  en- 
tire horizon  without  an  intervening  object.  Below  lay 
the  beautiful  metropolis  of  the  "West,  with  its  elegant 
buildings  and  hum  of  business  ;  and  around  it,  in  every 
direction  from  the  broad  and  glorious  Ohio,  were  spread 
the  plains  and  slopes,  dark  with  vineyards  and  verdure, 
and  dotted  with  tasteful  dwellings.  It  was  as  rare  a  spot 
for  the  building,  as  was  the  splendid  glass  for  the  in- 
strument that  structure  was  to  protect. 

Two  grand  steps  onward  toward  the  goal  of  the  astro- 
nomer's hopes  are  taken.  The  next  is  to  build.  No 
time  is  lost  by  him.  He  soon  has  the  carpenters  at  work 
on  the  fence,  and  a  road  cut  to  the  summit,  making  access 
by  teams  with  material,  quite  easy. 

The  spring  and  summer  of  1843  had  rapidly  passed 
to  him,  under  the  pressure  of  this  great  work,  and  college 
duties.  An,auspicious  and  exciting  day  has  come.  The 
ninth  day  of  November  was  set  apart  for  laying  the 
comer-stone.  That  stone  is  to  be  a  part  of  the  pier,  or 
masonry,  supporting  the  telescope  with  its  harness  for 
service. 

The  anticipated  morning  dawns.  The  throng  at  an 
early  hour  begin  to  gather  on  the  height.  And  now  the 
moment  for  the  ceremonies  arrives ;  and  who  is  that 
cahn,  venerable,  majestic  man,  more  than  fourscore  years 
of  age,  attended  with  so  much  reverence  to  the  platform? 


76  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

He  is  the  orator  of  the  day.  Many  hundred  miles  has 
the  noble  pilgrim  travelled,  to  lift  his  voice  once  more  in 
an  oration  to  his  countrymen.  How  softly  the  light  of  a 
late  western  autumn,  faUs  on  the  bald  head  fringed  with 
silver  hair !  AU  eyes  glance  fondly,  admiringly  toward 
the  central  figure.  Even  the  noble,  yet  modest  astron- 
omer, to  whom  it  is  an  inauguration  day  of  the  greatest 
enterprise  of  his  laborious  life,  is  forgotten.  The  open- 
ing services  are  finished,  and  John  Quinct  Ada3IS 
rises  amid  the  hum  and  cheers  of  the  concourse.  With 
tremulous  Kps,  and  clear  accent,  he  pays  his  tribute  to 
the  founders  of  the  Observatory,  to  science,  and  then  to  the 
country  he  loved — ^the  home  of  a  free,  enterprising,  and 
intelligent  people.  The  only  cloud  that  hung  darkly  to 
his  discerning  eye,  on  our  horizon,  was  that  whose  light- 
ning has  fallen  upon  us,  and  whose  thunder  of  retribution 
is  roUing  day  and  night  through  the  heavens. 

For  the  last  time  did  the  veteran  statesman,  scholar, 
champion  of  freedom,  and  Christian,  open  the  treasures  of 
his  gifted  mind  and  large  heart  to  the  multitude.  Mem- 
orable occasion !  Do  you  think  the  bright  boys  who 
saw  that  scene,  and  heard  the  words  spoken,  wiU  ever 
forget  it?  The  influence  of  it  wiU  bless  the  land,  tiU 
its  hills  are  swept  with  universal  desolation,  or  "  melt 
with  fervent  heat." 

The  multitude  dispersed.  There  lay  the  single  piece 
of  granite.     Around  it  were  broken  ground,  and  materials 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL    MITCHEL.  YY 

for  building.  "Winter  is  nigh,  and  this  hindrance,  with 
the  want  of  funds,  compels  the  suspension  of  labor  for 
the  season. 

Do  you  not  believe,  my  reader,  that  very  few  men 
would  have  held  on,  resolved  to  succeed,  with  such  weari- 
ness of  effort  and  discouragement  ?  The  secret  of  such  un- 
surpassed energy  and  perseverance,  is  found  in  the  strug- 
gles, good  habits,  and  high  aims  of  the  boy  in  early  life. 

No  one  but  Professor  IVIitchel  himself  knew  the 
expenditure  of  labor  it  cost  to  save  the  imperilled  object  of 
many  years  effort.  The  winter  of  1843  and  1844  was  the 
trial-period  of  the  whole  undertaking.  He  thought,  and 
prayed,  and  worked.  The  bloom  and  fragrance  of  May 
were  never  more  grateful  to  him,  who  saw  his  intense 
and  painful  toil  crowned  with  success  for  the  time.  The 
thousands  of  dollars  more  due  to  the  makers  of  the  tele- 
scope, were  collected  and  sent  to  Munich. 

What  now  shall  be  done?  The  treasury  is  empty, 
and  eight  thousand  dollars  more  are  wanted  to  finish  the 
building.  Fertile  in  resources,  he  resolves  to  appeal  to 
intelligent  mechanics,  and  go  to  work.  Without  money, 
and  with  three  workmen,  the  summer  sun  sees  the  struc- 
ture slowly  rising.  The  second  week  finds  the  expenses 
of  the  previous  one  paid,  and  six  hands  on  the  torn  hill- 
top. They  toil  on  tiU  Saturday  night.  "  How  stands  the 
account?"  asks  the  Professor.  The  treasm-er  replies, 
''  Enough  to  pay  up,  and  double  the  number  of  men.'* 


78  LITE    OF    GENESAL   MITCHEL. 

Thus  six  weeks  passed  away.  And  during  their  long 
days,  you  might  have  seen  the  professor — where  f  Walk- 
ing over  the  broken  ground  or  sitting  upon  some  stick  of 
hewn  timber,  to  see  the  work  progress  ?  No  !  he  was  not 
afraid  of  any  kind  of  honorable  labor,  nor  to  show  the 
callous  palm.  See  him  now  di-iving  the  team  which  drags 
the  "  stone-boat,"  or  handling,  like  a  born  ditcher^  the 
pickaxe  and  shovel.  A  stranger  would  have  found  it  dif- 
ficult at  a  sufficient  distance  to  conceal  his  noble  forehead 
and  face,  to  distinguish  him  from  a  son  of  the  Emerald 
Isle.  In  this,  too,  he  resembled  strikingly  General  Grant, 
who  in  or  out  of  the  army  scorns  all  tinsel,  and  appears 
like  the  commonest  soldier  or  citizen. 

The  mechanics  of  Ciucinnati  acted  magnanimously, 
indeed.  Many  of  them  subscribed  stock,  in  other  words, 
became  members  of  the  Astronomical  Society,  taking 
shares  in  the  amount  invested  by  it,  and  paid  it  m 
work. 

In  a  quarry  owned  by  the  society,  the  stones  were 
blasted  and  hewn  for  the  growing  edifice.  Oh  !  with 
what  keen  delight  did  the  brave,  unselfish  Mitchel,  hear 
the  rude  sound  of  hammer,  iron  bar,  pulley,  and  voices 
of  command  to  the  silent,  faithful  brute  workers.  More 
pleasant  than  the  odor  of  summer  flowers,  was  the  smoke 
of  the  lime-kiln  on  the  hill,  in  which  the  lime  to  cement 
the  masonry  was  burned. 

Nothing  was  refused  in  subscriptions  to  the   object, 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  T9 

whether  a  day's  work  or  a  due  bill,  which  could  be  bar- 
tered for  something  else  that  would  pay. 

The  months  wore  away,  and  again  autumn  returned. 
The  observatory  walls  were  built,  and  a  roof  covered 
them,  with  no  debt  on  them.  And  now  a  new  difficulty 
arose.  Mr.  Longworth  required  the  Society  to  finish  the 
structure  in  two  years,  or  forfeit  the  land.  The  time 
would  expire  in  June,  1845.  Either  the  period  must  be 
lengthened — a  favor  it  would  not  be  pleasant  to  ask — or 
the  association  run  in  debt.  Professor  Mitchel's  private 
means  were  expended,  for  he  always  set  the  example  in 
whatever  he  desired  others  to  do.  But  the  building  went 
forward  to  completion.  He  hoped  that  in  a  brief  time 
after  a  monument  of  scientific  love  and  labor  stood  in  the 
beauty  of  finished  proportions,  the  money  with  which  to 
meet  all  engagements  could  be  obtained. 

February,  1845,  was  another  proud  day.  The  pro- 
fessor is  not  on  the  hill.  Along  the  streets  he  is  passing, 
while  mysterious  burdens  are  carted  from  the  general 
storehouse  of  commerce.  What  new  turn  has  his  activity 
taken?  From  Munich  to  Cincinnati  that  splendid  object- 
glass,  tubed  and  ready  to  be  lifted  to  its  place,  has  trav- 
elled. The  mails  had  taken  bits  of  paper  ;  a  ship  brought 
with  its  ponderous  fixtures  the  crystal  windows  to  the  far 
depths  of  ether. 

The  telescope  is  actually  in  the  city !  No  victor  ever 
exulted  with  a  higher  and  purer  triumph  of  genius  and 


80 


LIFE   OF   GEI^EEAL   MTTCHEL. 


high  endeavor,  than  did  the  astronomer  from  his  unfin- 
ished temple,  which  was  to  enshrine  the  telescopic  eye  to 
pierce  the  heavens. 

Boisterous  March  came,  and  his  rough. winds  seemed 
to  sing  with  joy  around  the  finished  structure,  consecrated 
to  victories  over  time  and  space.  All  things  were  ready 
for  the  high  priest  of  the  sanctuary  of  science  devoted  to 
God  and  humanity. 


The  Mitchel  Observatory. 


^Mm 


The  Telescope  and  Haley's  Comet,  p.  80. 


CHAPTER  Yin. 

The  beautiful  Monument  of  Faith  and  Work — A  new  Trial — The  Conflagration 
— Turns  Lecturer — The  first  Effort — ^Lectures  in  New  York — The  influence 
of  his  splendid  Oratory. 

nHE  building  is  eighty  feet  long  and  thirty  feet 
broad.  The  front  is  two  stories,  while  in  the 
centre  of  the  structure  there  is  a  third  story  for 
the  telescope  and  other  instruments.  The  roof 
can  be  taken  off  during  the  time  of  observing 
the  heavens.  It  is  a  beautiful  building,  crowning  well 
the  summit  on  which  it  stands. 

Dr.  Bache,  the  superintendent  of  the  U.  S.  Coast 
Survey,  i.  e.,  a  department  for  tracing  coast  boundaries, 
distances,  &c.,  gave  to  the  Observatory  a  large  transit  in- 
strument and  a  sidereal  clock.  Professor  Mitchel  has 
used  them  well  in  dividing  and  numbering  stars. 

But  he  was  to  learn  another  and  sadder  lesson  of  trust 
than  any  hitherto  known.     He  must  feel  the  truth,  that, 

"  When  calmest  on  life's  wave  we  ride, 
Oft  rolls  behind  a  gloomy  tide." 
4* 


82  LITE    OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

A  darkly  mysterious  providence  was  at  hand.  His  last 
dollar  was  gone.  And  hark  !  on  the  still  air  rises  the  cry 
of  "^re/  fire  I  ^^  ''Where?  What  is  it?"  are  the  re- 
sponses from  the  startled  people.  "  The  College  !  the 
College  1 "  in  another  moment,  is  on  every  lip.  The  flames 
curl  in  the  chill  wind  around  the  walls,  until,  in  spite  of 
streams  from  the  engines  of  faithful  firemen,  they  stand 
charred  and  desolate.  With  the  College  went  the  pro- 
fessor*s  salary.  He  was  nearly  as  penniless  as  when  he 
started  for  the  Military  Academy.  He  had  engaged  to 
superintend  the  Observatory  for  ten  years  without  salary, 
depending  on  that  from  the  College. 

The  cherished  Observatory  must  not  at  last  be  aban- 
doned. What  shall  he  do  ?  His  wonderful  faith,  hope, 
and  energy,  will  surely  conquer  in  the  trial  of  them  all. 
Years  would  be  necessary  to  rebuild  the  pile  which 
had  been  the  food  of  the  flames.  Again  he  thought  and 
prayed — then  acted.  The  enthusiastic  reception  of  his 
lectures  in  Cincinnati  encouraged  him  to  try  them  abroad. 
His  familiar  and  repeated  conversations  with  his  classes 
on  astronomy,  and  with  citizens  about  the  Observatory, 
its  design  and  uses,  had  taught  him  to  speak  with  force 
and  simplicity  on  the  marvels  of  the  sky.  This  strength- 
ened his  confidence  and  purpose  more  than  any  other  con- 
sideration. To  speak  plainly  and  well  at  any  time  is  a 
great  attainment;  but  to  do  so  when  the  motions  and 
glories  of  the  uncounted  stars  are  the  theme,  and  the 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   aHTCHEL.  83 

"  common  people "  the  hearers,  is  a  rare  attainment. 
Because  of  this  power  the  multitudes  two  thousand  years 
before  heard  the  Creator  of  the  world  "gladly."  The 
astronomer  turned  his  back  on  the  temple,  surmounting 
the  lordly  hill  of  all  the  region,  and,  with  his  baggage, 
started  for  the  great  cities  of  the  Union.  It  is  no  private 
speculation — ^no  mercenary  aim  that  tears  him  from  home 
and  his  telescope. 

Reaching  Boston,  the  notice  of  his  first  lecture  on  the 
starry  heavens  since  his  course  in  the  College,  and  one  in 
the  city  church,  was  given.  Indeed,  he  regarded  the  oc- 
casion as  his  entrance  upon  public  life  as  a  lecturer.  The 
hour  came — the  hall  was  not  full.  But  he  had  charmed 
the  few  ;  and  without  the  least  unbecoming  pride,  he  said 
to  a  friend  afterward,  "  he  felt  sure  every  listener  would 
bring  another  the  next  evening."  He  was  not  disap- 
pointed. The  question  of  success  was  answered  :  "  The 
Athens  of  America  "  had  decided  the  claims  of  this  apos- 
tle of  science  devoted  to  religion,  to  his  high  position. 

In  New  York  the  Music  Hall  is  thronged  night  after 
night  to  hear  his  impassioned  eloquence,  poured  in  an  un- 
broken flow  of  "  thoughts  that  breathe  and  words  that 
burn,"  on  the  excited  thousands,  A  sublimer  spectacle 
in  lecturing  was  never  seen.  The  object,  the  theme,  the 
orator,  the  intellectual  audiences,  the  wrapt  attention,  the 
almost  painful  intensity  of  feeling,  all  crown  him  the 
prince  of  lecturers.     Not  a  line  of  manuscript  lies  before 


84:  LITE    OF   GEI^EEAL   MTTCHEL. 

him.  Yet  lie  never  hesitates,  never  repeats,  never  chafes 
the  liveliest  sensibility  of  any  hearer. 

Listen  to  even  the  boys  as  they  walk  homeward,  and 
you  will  hear  them  saying : 

"Father,  wasn't  it  splendid?"  Another  exclaims: 
"  If  I  could  ever  talk  like  that,  and  knew  as  much  as 
Professor  Mitchel,  I  would  be  willing  to  study  hard." 

Why  not,  my  dear  boy,  emulate  the  example.  Did 
the  barefooted  clerk  on  the  countryman's  horse,  which 
trudged  along  the  muddy  roads  two  miles  an  hour,  look 
very  much  like  holding  the  best  minds  in  New  York 
imder  the  spell  of  his  eloquence  ?  It  was  the  same  in 
Boston,  Philadelphia,  New  Orleans,  and  St.  Louis. 

None  but  the  infinite  Father  can  estimate  the  effect 
of  those  unequalled  lectures.  They  awakened  an  entirely 
new  and  profound  interest  among  the  people.  A  host  of 
young  persons  were  led  to  watch  with  a  delight  unknown 
before  the  circling  constellations,  and  calm,  beauteous 
planets.  The  North  Star  in  the  handle  of  the  little  dip- 
per, the  large  dipper  with  its  pointers  toward  that  central 
orb;  magnificent  Orion  with  "his  bands";  the  grape- 
like cluster,  Pleiades,  about  which  Job  so  eloquently  dis- 
courses ;  and  Sirius,  the  dog-star,  which  was  so  dazzling 
when  it  came  like  a  rising  sun  before  Ne^i:on's  telescope, 
he  had  10  withdraw  his  eyes ;  attracted  more  observers 
than  had  gazed  upon  them  at  any  time  since  the  May 
Flower  was  guided  by  the  cynosure  over  the  deep. 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL.  85 

The  excellent  use  that  Professor  Mitchel  made  of  the 
observatory  appears  in  the  next  published  effort  of  his 
studious  mind ;  which,  if  it  did  not  attempt  the  highest 
speculations  of  astronomical  science,  did  perhaps  more 
than  any  other  to  make  it  interesting  and  familiar  to  all. 

And  it  is  delightful  to  tell  you  that  not  only  was  Mrs. 
Mitchel  an  intellectual  and  pious  mother  to  his  children, 
but  "  night  after  night  did  she  sit  by  his  side  in  his  study 
of  the  heavens."  Her  gentle  hand  assisted  at  the  grand 
telescope,  or  wielded  for  him  the  pen  in  writing  doT\Ti  his 
observations. 

In  1860  appeared  his  "  Popular  Astronomy."  The 
opening  lecture  is  a  fine  description  of  the  "  day-god," 
worshipped  by  the  Persian  pagans  ages  ago.  How  clear 
and  sublime  the  language  in  which  he  follows  him  in  his 
chariot  of  fire  through  the  heavens,  and  along  the  hori- 
zon's rim  !  For  you  know  that,  in  winter,  the  blush  of  sun- 
rise appears  far  from  the  place  where  was  seen  the  richer 
crimson  and  gold  of  midsummer. 

"  The  sun  is  beyond  comparison  the  grandest  of  all 
the  celestial  orbs  of  which  we  have  any  positive  knowl- 
edge. The  inexhaustible  source  of  the  heat  which  warms 
and  vivifies  the  earth,  and  the  origin  of  a  perpetual  flood 
of  light,  Avhich,  flying  with  incredible  velocity  in  all  direc- 
tions, illumines  the  planets  and  their  satellites,  lights  up 
the  eccentric  comets,  and  penetrates  even  to  the  region 
of  the  fixed  stars ;  it  is  not  surprising  that,  in  the  early 


Ob  LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

ages  of  the  world,  this  mighty  orb  should  have  been  re- 
garded as  the  visible  emblem  of  the  Omnipotent,  and  as 
such  should  have  received  divine  honors. 

"  On  the  approach  of  the  sun  to  the  horizon  in  the 
early  dawn,  his  coming  is  announced  by  the  gray  eastern 
twilight,  before  whose  gradual  increase  the  brightest  stars 
and  even  the  planets  fade  and  disappear.  The  coming 
splendor  grows  and  expands,  rising  higher  and  yet  higher, 
until,  as  the  first  beam  of  sunlight  darts  on  the  world,  not 
a  star  or  planet  remains  visible  in  the  whole  heavens  ;  and 
even  the  moon,  under  this  flood  of  sunlight,  shines  only 
as  a  faint  silver  cloud. 

"  This  magnificent  spectacle  of  the  sunrise,  together 
with  the  equally  imposing  scenes  which  sometimes  accom- 
pany the  setting  sun,  must  have  excited  the  curiosity  of 
the  very  first  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  This  curiosity  led 
to  a  more  careful  examination  of  the  phenomena  attend- 
ing the  rising  and  setting  sun,  when  it  was  discovered 
that  the  point  at  which  this  great  orb  made  his  appear- 
ance was  not  fixed,  but  was  slowly  shifting  on  the  horizon, 
the  change  being  easily  detected  by  the  observation  of  a 
few  days.  Hence  was  discovered,  in  the  primitive  ages, 
THE  sun's  appabext  MOTION.  In  case  the  sun  is  observed 
attentively  from  month  to  month,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
point  of  sunrise  on  the  horizon  moves  slowly,  for  a  cer- 
tain length  of  time,  toward  the  south.  While  this  motion 
continues,  the   sun,   at  noon,  when   culminating  on  the 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL    ^snTCHEL.  87 

meridian,  reaches  each  day  a  point  less  elevated  above 
the  horizon,  and  the  diurnal  arc  or  daily  path  described 
by  the  sun  grows  shorter  and  shorter.  At  length  a  limit 
is  reached  ;  the  point  of  sunrise  ceases  to  advance  toward 
the  south,  remaining  stationary  a  day  or  two,  and  then 
slowly  commences  his  return  toward  the  north.  Thus 
does  the  sun  appear  to  vibrate  backward  and  forward  be- 
tween his  southern  and  northern  limits,  marking  to  man 
a  period  of  the  highest  interest,  for  within  its  limits  the 
Spring,  the,  Summer,  the  Autumn,  and  the  "Winter, 
have  run  their  cycles,  and  by  their  union  have  wrought 
out  the  changes  of  the  year." 

"And  what,"  asks  an  inquiring  mind,  "  can  you  tell 
us.  Professor,  of  the  spots  on  the  sun's  face  ?  " 

"  To  the  naked  eye  the  sun's  surface  presents  a  blaze 
of  insufferable  splendor  ;  and  even  when  this  intense  Hght 
is  reduced  by  the  use  of  any  translucent  medium,  the 
entire  disk  appears  evenly  shaded,  with  a  slight  diminu- 
tion of  light  around  the  circumference,  but  without  visible 
spot  or  variation.  When,  however,  the  power  of  vision 
is  increased  a  hundred  or  a  thousand  fold  by  telescopic  aid, 
and  when  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun  and  his  equally  in- 
tense light  are  reduced  by  the  help  of  deeply-colored 
glasses,  the  eye  recognizes  a  surface  of  most  wonderful 
character.  Instead  of  finding  the  sun  everywhere  equally 
brilliant,  the  telescope  shows  sometimes  on  its  surface  hlach 
sjoots,  of  very  irregular  figure,  jagged  and  broken  in  outline. 


88  LIFE   OF    GEIS'EEAL   MITCHEL. 

"  Besides  the  mottling  of  the  surface,  the  telescope 
detects  in  the  solar  orb  a  variety  of  brighter  streaks, 
called  faculoe^  whose  appearance  has  been  connected,  as 
some  believe,  with  the  breaking  out  of  the  black  spots. 

"  "We  are  compelled  to  acknowledge  that  up  to  the 
present  time  science  has  rendered  no  satisfactory  account 
of  the  origin  of  the  solar  light  or  heat.  Whence  comes 
the  exhaustless  supply,  scattered  so  lavishly  into  space  in 
every  direction,  we  know  not.  Neither  is  it  possible  to 
give  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  solar  spots,  or  of  any  of 
the  strange  phenomena  attending  their  rotation  or  trans- 
lation on  the  sun's  sm-face.  The  idea  that  tornadoes  and 
tempests  rage  in  the  deep,  luminous  ocean  that  surrounds 
the  sun,  like  those  which  sometimes  agitate  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  earth,  has  no  solid  foundation.  We  know 
the  exciting  causes  of  the  tornadoes  on  earth,  but  why 
such  storms  should  exist  in  the  solar  sphere  it  is  in  vain 
to  conjecture  at  present.  Doubtless  the  time  will  come 
when  these  phenomena  will  be  explained." 

Then  the  professor  talks  eloquently  of  Mercury,  a 
planet  so  near  the  sun,  "  that  it  is  said  Copernicus  him- 
self, during  his  whole  life  devoted  to  the  study  of  the 
heavens,  never  once  caught  sight  of  this  almost  invisible 
world,"  and  yet  "  it  was  discovered  in  the  very  earliest 
ages  "  by  the  ancients. 

"  How  large  is  this  orb,  almost  lost  in  the  sun's  un- 
quenchable fire,  and  do  people  live  in  that  burning 
eplendcr  ?  " 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  89 

The  first  question  only  is  answered.  ''  Its  diameter 
is  but  3,140  miles.  In  comparison  with  the  vast  propor- 
tions of  the  sun,  this  little  planet  sinks  into  absolute  in- 
significance ;  for  if  the  sun  be  divided  into  a  million  of 
equal  parts,  Mercury  would  not  weigh  as  much  as  the 
half  of  one  of  these  parts." 

Of  Venus  he  says  :  "  The  extreme  brightness  of  this 
planet  makes  it  a  very  beautiful  but  difficult  object  for 
telescopic  observation.  Although  spots  have  been  seen 
upon  the  surface  of  Venus,  I  have  never  been  able,  at  any 
time,  with  the  powerful  refractor  of  the  Cincinnati  Ob- 
servatory, to  mark  any  well-defined  differences  in  the 
illumination  of  her  surface.  If  we  are  to  trust  to  the 
observations  of  others,  the  inequalities  which  diversify 
the  planet  Venus  far  exceed  in  grandeur  those  found  upon 
our  earth.  It  is  stated  by  M.  Schroter  that,  from  his 
own  observations,  the  mountains  of  Venus  reach  an  alti- 
tude five  or  six  times  greater  than  the  loftiest  mountains 
of  our  own  globe." 

"  And  what  did  the  most  gifted  men  of  the  early  ages 
think  of  our  world  ?  "     Our  astronomer  answers  : 

"  The  ancients  did  not  reckon  the  earth  as  one  of  the 
planetary  orbs.  There  seemed  to  be  no  analogy  between 
the  world  which  we  inhabit,  'svith  its  dark,  opaque,  and 
diversified  surface,  and  those  brilliant  planets  which  pur- 
sued their  mysterious  journey  among  the  stars.  Sunk  as 
they  were,  so  deep  in  space,  it  was  very  difficult  to  reach 


90  LIFE    OF    GENEEAL   ^IITCHEL.    - 

any  correct  knowledge  of  their  absolute  magnitude.  The 
earth  seemed  to  the  senses  of  man  vastly  larger  than  any 
or  all  of  these  revolving  worlds.  About  the  earth,  as  a 
fixed  centre,  the  whole  concave  of  the  heavens,  with  all 
its  starry  constellations,  appeared  to  revolve,  producing 
the  alternations  of  day  and  night.  It  was  not  unnatural, 
therefore,  knowing  the  central  position  of  the  earth  with 
reference  to  the  fixed  stars,  to  assume  its  central  position 
with  reference  to  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  planetary 
worlds." 

You  have  often  gazed  with  wonder  at  the  ' '  Queen  of 
night."  You  heard  in  earliest  childhood  of  the  "  Man  in 
the  Moon,"  that  is,  the  spotted  surface  somewhat  resem- 
bling a  face.     Of  this  orb  he  has  an  interesting  sketch  : 

''  Before  the  power  of  the  telescope  had  reached  its 
present  condition  of  perfection,  the  darker  spots  of  the 
moon  were  assumed  to  be  seas  and  oceans ;  but  the 
power  now  applied  to  the  moon  demonstrates  that  there 
cannot  exist  at  this  time  any  considerable  body  of  water 
on  the  hemisphere  visible  from  the  earth.  And  yet  we 
find  objects  such,  that  in  case  we  were  gazing  upon  the 
earth  from  the  moon,  possessing  our  actual  knowledge  of 
the  earth's  lakes  and  rivers,  we  should  pronounce  them, 
without  hesitation,  lakes  and  rivers.  There  is  one  such 
object  which  I  will  describe  as  often  seen  through  the 
Cincinnati  refractor.  The  outline  is  nearly  circular,  with 
a  lofty  range  of  hills  on  the  western  and  southwestern 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAX   MITCHEL.  91 

sides.  This  range  gradually  sinks  in  the  east,  and  a 
beautiful  sloping  beach  seems  to  extend  down  to  the  level 
surface  of  the  inclosed  lake  (as  we  shall  call  it,  for  want 
of  other  language).  With  the  highest  telescopic  power, 
under  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  I  never  could 
detect  the  slightest  irregularity  in  the  shading  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  lake.  Had  the  cavity  been  filled  with  quick- 
silver and  suddenly  congealed  or  covered  with  solid  ice, 
with  a  covering  of  pure  snow,  the  shading  could  not  be 
more  regular  than  it  is.  To  add,  however,  to  the  terrene 
likeness,  into  this  seeming  lake  there  flows  what  looks 
exactly  as  a  river  should  at  such  a  distance.  That  there 
is  an  indentation  in  the  surface,  exactly  like  the  bed  of  a 
river,  extending  into  the  country  (mth  numerous  islands) 
for  more  than  a  hundred  miles,  and  then  forking  and  sep- 
arating into  two  distinct  branches,  each  of  which  pursues 
a  serpentine  course  for  from  thirty  to  fifty  miles  beyond 
the  fork,  all  this  is  distinctly  visible.  I  may  say,  indeed, 
that  just  before  entering  the  lunar  lake,  this  lunar  river 
is  found  to  disappear  from  sight,  and  seems  to  pass  be- 
neath the  range  of  hills  which  border  the  lake.  The  re- 
gion of  country  which  lies  between  the  forks  or  branches 
of  this  seeming  river,  is  evidently  higher,  and  to  the  eye 
appears  just  as  it  should  do,  so  as  to  shed  its  water  into 
the  stream  which  appears  to  flow  in  the  valley  below. 
The  question  may  be  asked,  why  is  not  this  a  lake  and  a 
river?     There    is   no   lunar  atmosphere    on   the  visible 


\)Z  LIFE    OF    GENEEAL    MITCHEL. 

hemisphere  of  the  moon,  such  as  surrounds  the  earth ; 
and  if  there  were  water  like  ours  on  the  moon,  it  would 
be  soon  evaporated,  and  would  produce  a  kind  of  vaporous 
atmosphere  which  ought  to  be  seen,  but  has  not  been  de- 
tected. 

''  What,  then,  shall  we  call  the  objects  described?  I 
can  only  answer  that  this  phenomenon,  with  many  others, 
presented  by  the  lunar  surface,  has  thus  far  baffled  the 
most  diligent  and  persevering  efforts  to  explain.  Among 
what  are  called  the  volcanic  mountains  of  the  moon  are 
found  objects  of  special  interest.  One  of  them,  named 
Copernicus,  and  situated  not  far  from  the  moon's  equator, 
is  so  distinctly  shown  by  the  telescope,  that  the  sides  of  it 
have  all  the  appearance  of  the  action  of  a  crater  ejecting 
immense  quantities  of  lava  and  molted  matter.  Can 
there  be,  indeed,  the  overflowing  of  once  active  vol- 
canoes ?  " 

Have  you  not  seen  in  the  heavens  the  red  little  planet 
called  Mars,  the  name  of  the  god  of  war?  "Why," 
perhaps  you  inquire,  "  is  the  fiery  Mars  so  much  redder 
in  hue  than  the  other  planets  ?  " 

"  The  reddish  tint  which  marks  the  light  of  Mars," 
says  the  professor,  "  has  been  attributed  by  Sir  John 
Herschel  to  the  prevailing  color  of  the  soil.  This  is 
all  pure  conjecture." 

How  limited  the  knowledge  of  the  most  learned ! 
None  can  tell  whether  there  be  sea?  or  inhabitants  on 


LH'^E    OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  93 

the  nearest  globes  to  us.  The  gigantic  planet  in  our 
solar  system,  the  genius  which  often  studied  its  majestic 
motions,  tells  us  :  "Is  one  of  the  five  revolving  worlds 
discovered  in  the  primitive  ages.  Its  revolution  among 
the  fixed  stars  is  slow  and  majestic,  comporting  well  with 
its  vast  dimensions,  and  the  dignity  conferred  by  four 
tributary  worlds.  The  nocturnal  heavens,  as  seen  from 
this  grand  orb,  must  be  inexpressibly  magnificent.  Be- 
sides the  same  glittering  constellations  which  are  seen 
from  earth,  the  sky  of  Jupiter  may  be  adorned  with  no 
less  than  four  moons,  with  their  diverse  phases,  some 
waxing  or  waning,  some  just  rising  or  setting,  some  pos- 
sibly just  entering  into  or  emerging  from  eclipse  ;  the 
whole  of  this  splendid  celestial  exhibition  sweeping  across 
the  heavens,  rising,  culminating,  and  setting  in  less  than 
five  hours  of  our  time.  Such  are  the  scenes  witnessed 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Jupiter,  if  such  there  be." 

The  splendid  planet  Saturn  with  his  gorgeous  ring, 
which  is  scarcely  visible  when  its  edge  is  turned  toward 
the  observer,  Professor  Mitchel  beautifully  traces  in  its 
path  of  light.  Of  the  revolving  ring  turned  edgewise,  he 
says  :  "  The  disappearance  of  the  ring  which  toqk  place 
in  1848  was  watched  by  the  author  at  Cincinnati  Obser- 
vatory with  the  powerful  refractor  of  that  institution.  A 
minute  fibre  of  light  remained  clearly  visible  even  when 
the  edge  of  the  ring  was  turned  directly  to  the  eye  of  the 
spectator.     The  delicacy  of  this  line  far  exceeds  any  tbin^' 


94  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

ever  before  witnessed.  When  compared  with  the  finest 
spider's  web  stretched  across  the  field  of  view,  the  latter 
appeared  like  a  cable,  so  greatly  did  it  surpass  in  magni- 
tude the  filament  of  light  presented  in  the  edge  of  Saturn's 
ring.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  witnessing  the  phenomena  so 
beautifully  described  by  Sir  William  Herschel,  the  move- 
ments of  the  satellites  along  this  line  of  Ught,  '  like  golden 
beads  on  a  wire.' " 

We  now  come  to  the  far-off*  world,  which,  until  re- 
cently, was  thought  by  all  astronomers  to  be  the  last  in 
the  system  to  which  our  earth  belongs — the  outside  trav- 
eller around  the  sun.  Indeed,  Sir  William  Herschel,  after 
whom  it  was  named,  supposed  it  was  a  comet.  The 
Royal  Astronomer  at  Greenwich,  Dr,  Markelyne,  first 
declared  that  it  was  a  neighbor  to  the  globes  which  before 
had  been  known  to  live  in  the  light  of  the  central  lu- 
minary 

Professor  Mitchel  watched  with  intense  interest, 
through  his  grand  telescope,  the  four  moons  of  the  dis- 
tant Herschel.  He  assures  you  that ''  they  are  among  the 
most  difficult  of  all  the  objects  revealed  to  the  eye  of  the 
telescope.  After  Sir  WiUiam  Herschel  no  one  for  forty 
years  was  able  to  see  any  of  these  satellites,  his  forty-foot 
reflector  having  gone  into  disuse.  In  1828,  Sir  John 
Herschel,  after  many  unsuccessful  attempts,  by  confining 
himself  in  a  dark  room  for  many  minutes  previous  to 
observation,  and  thus  giving  to  the  eye  great  acuteness, 


LITE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  95 

succeeded  in  detecting  two  of  the  satellites.  In  1837, 
Lamont,  with  the  powerful  refractor  of  the  Royal  Obser- 
vatory at  Munich,  managed  to  follow,  with  tolerable  cer- 
tainty, the  two  larger  moons,  and  occasionally  obtained 
glimpses  of  two  others.  At  this  time  there  were  four  fine 
telescopes  in  the  w^orld  capable  of  showing  these  four 
satellites  under  favorable  circumstances.  I  have  fre- 
quently seen  two  of  them  with  the  Cincinnati  refractor." 

Beyond  Herschel,  by  a  most  astonishing  calculation, 
showing  that  a  planet  ought  to  he  where  it  was  found  by 
M.  Galle,  of  Berlin,  another  planet  has  been  added  to  the 
solar  system,  named  Neptune.  This  makes  nine  in  the 
family  of  planets  to  which  we  belong.  And  no  one  can 
say  how  long  it  will  be  before  the  world  will  again  be 
startled  by  the  news  of  still  more  sublime  discoveries 
from  the  heights  of  observation  once  occupied  by  Mitchel, 
in  the  years  to  come. 

It  is  very  possible  some  young  reader  may  yet  write 
his  name  on  the  heavens,  in  the  imperishable  association 
of  it  with  the  stars. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


He  becomes  Eailroad  Engineer — A  new  course  of  Lectures— Examples  of  Ms 
Oratory — He  is  appointed  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  of  Ohio— Yarioua 
Honors— Inventions. 


EANWHLLE,  this  surveyor  of  planetary  paths, 
and  of  the  orbits  of  flaming  suns,  had  shown 
his  equally  familiar  knowledge  of  terrestrial 
affairs.     Such  great  and  practical  men  seldom 


In  1844  he  surveyed  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rail- 
road. Several  years  later  he  crossed  the  ocean  again  as 
confidential  agent  of  the  company,  to  transact  business 
for  them  in  Europe.  So  well  did  he  manage  the  concerns 
of  men  who  seldom  took  time  to  look  higher  than  engines, 
iron  rails,  and  the  figures  of  the  pen  and  pencil,  that  a 
few  months  after  his  return  he  was  sent  again  over  the 
waters. 

You  will  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that,  ex- 
cepting the  waters  below  and  the  heavens  above,  his 
interest  was   quite  inferior   to   the    sublime    enthusiasm 


LITE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  97 

which  led  him  to  Munich.  But  he  was  no  dreamer. 
From  the  far-off  glories  of  the  sky  he  could  come  down 
to  the  locomotive,  and  the  profits  and  losses  of  running  it. 
When  he  returned  he  was  also  made  president  of  a  por- 
tion of  that  extensive  track  down  the  great  valley  of  the 
West. 

Professor  Mitchel  also  delivered  another  series  of  lec- 
tures in  our  large  cities  on  the  Astronomy  of  the  Bible. 
These  were  more  brilliant  than  the  first.  Did  you  hear 
them?  If  not,  did  father  or  mother?  K  you  did,  you 
cannot  forget  the  entranced  audience  ;  wherever  you 
looked,  if  your  glance  was  away  from  the  orator  for  a 
moment,  the  throng  seemed  carried  beyond  the  stars  to 
the  dazzling  throne  of  the  Deity.  Whoever  listened  will 
tell  you  how  like  an  inspired  prophet,  or  an  angel,  he  some- 
times appeared.  God,  as  creator  and  governor  of  the 
myriad  worlds  rolling  in  the  fathomless  blue,  Law-giver, 
Redeemer,  and  Judge  of  mankind,  whose  book  and  starry 
volume  agree  in  every  part,  was  presented  in  speech  more 
glowing  than  ever  had  issued,  till  then,  from  the  platform 
of  a  popular  assembly.  It  reminded  the  intelligent  lis- 
tener of  John  Milton,  the  poet  of  earth  and  heaven,  talk- 
ing instead  of  singing  the  grand  cantos. 

I  shall  quote  just  enough  from  his  glowing  pages  to 

give  you  specimens  of  his  eloquence,  refresh  the  memory 

of  those  who  listened  to  him,  and  interest  you  in  the 

works  he  has  left  for  all  time  behind  him.     The  motive 

5 


yo  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

wliich  led  liim  to  deliver  tlie  lectures  which  lie  designed 
evidently  to  have  published,  was,  first  of  all,  to  confirm 
our  faith  in  the  Bible — to  show  that  "the  undevout  as- 
tronomer is  mad  " — and  convince  the  people  of  the  shal- 
lowness of  the  cavils  and  scorn  of  those  "  scientific 
men "  who  try  to  shake  our  confidence  in  the  Cliristian 
system. 

Grandly  he  did  his  work.  And  every  thoughtful  mind 
will  mourn  the  death  which  to  us  seems  premature,  that 
defeated  his  further  purpose  to  continue  these  eloquent 
discourses,  and  show  to  the  doubting,  the  Godlike  consist- 
ency and  glory  of  redemption — of  the  incarnation  and 
sacrifice  of  the  Creator  of  the  worlds  ! 

He  thus  begins  :  "  We  stand  with  the  philosopher  and 
astronomer  on  the  very  apex  of  that  stupendous  pyramid 
which  human  genius  has  reared  by  the  protracted  labor 
of  six  thousand  years.  We  are  lifted  far  above  the 
clouds.     We  are  permitted  to  examine  the 

'  Thrones,  dominions,  princedoms,  virtues,  powers,' 

which  fill  the  heavens.  Our  view  sweeps  from  the  hum- 
ble satellite  which  acknowledges  and  obeys  the  superior 
power  of  the  earth,  through  systems,  and  schemes,  and 
universes,  whose  vastness  no  stretch  of  thought  can  com- 
prehend, whose  numbers  no  arithmetic  can  count.  *  * 
"  What  hand  has  launched  these  flaming  orbs  in 
space  ?     Whose  eye  omniscient  has  traced  out  their  un- 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  \j\) 

trodden  paths  ?  What  hand  omnipotent  upholds  the  stu- 
pendous fabric  of  Nature  ? 

"  These  are  themes  of  superlative  grandeur.  No 
mind  can  approach  their  contemplation  without  an  ex- 
pansion of  thought,  an  uplifting  of  the  powers  of  the  soul, 
a  sensation  resembling  that  which  swept  across  the  soul 
of  our  great  ancestor,  when  it  was  whispered,  '  Ye  shall 
be  as  gods ' ;  and  then  comes  a  withering  sense  of  our 
weakness,  a  consciousness  of  our  utter  inability  to  scale 
these  lofty  heights,  or  penetrate  the  deep  profound  which 
stretches  out  before  us. 

"  If  called  upon  to  discuss  these  themes  in  the  presence 
of  superior  beings,  the  hierarchs  of  Heaven,  resplendent 
with  exalted  wisdom,  it  would  be  utter  folly  to  unseal  the 
lip,  or  move  the  tongue  to  the  utterance  of  one  solitary 
thought.  But  I  address  not  myself  to  angehc  intelli- 
gences, but  to  man,  humble,  trusting,  inquiring,  teach- 
able man,  conscious  of  his  own  weakness,  and  ever  ready 
to  receive  with  feelings  of  charitable  consideration  the 
humble  efforts  of  those  who,  like  himself,  are  struggling 
to  discover  truth. 

"  Does  the  physical  universe  pi^oclaim  the  heing  of  a 
God  ?  Should  this  inquiry  be  affirmatively  answered, 
we  propose  to  inquire— If  the  God  thus  revealed  is  the 
same  august  and  eternal  being  portrayed  in  our  sacred 
hooks  ?  " 

Thus  the  genius  of  Mitchel  launches  out,  upborne  by 


100  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL. 

the  breath  of  prayer,  and  eagle-eyed  with  the  light  of 
faith  to  roam  among  the  worlds,  finding  in  every  part 
of  the  dazzling  infinity  that  Ood  is  there — the  God  of  the 
Bible  and  of  all  science. 

We  must  pass  without  even  a  reluctant  glance  at  the 
gems  of  thought  and  oratory  scattered  over  these  pages, 
inviting  our  admiring  study,  to  the  closing  and  impressive 
words.    How  fine  is  the  illustration  of  a  "  rebel  world"  ! 

"Say  what  we  may,  we  are  the  offspring  of  God ;  as 
His  children  we  are  the  heirs  of  immortality ;  we  may 
defy  the  Omnipotent,  and  incur  His  frown,  which  withers 
our  very  being ;  or  we  may  bring  our  hearts  and  souls 
in  unison  with  God's  holiness,  and  under  His  beneficent 
smile  be  filled  with  joy  and  happiness  inexpressible  and 
full  of  glory !  God  hath  given  us  the  power  to  scan  the 
universe,  to  detect  its  laws,  to  learn  its  stupendous  organ- 
ization, to  lift  the  soul  of  man  nearer  His  divine  presence. 

"Where  shall  the  guilty  soul  find  refuge?  Surely 
not  in  the  iron,  the  adamantine  laws  of  physical  nature. 
Suppose  it  were  possible  to  endow  one  of  these  flying 
worlds — the  earth  we  inhabit — with  a  will  and  a  rational 
soul ;  and  the  earth,  now  an  independent,  thinking,  will- 
ing being,  should  rise  in  rebellion  against  the  laws  of 
God's  control,  and  refuse  longer  to  obey.  The  rebellious 
planet  exclaims.  Let  the  sun  attract  me  never  so  much,  I 
care  not  for  his  heat,  his  life  ;  I  refuse  to  reciprocate  the 
attraction ;  I  have  a  power  of  will  supreme,  my  destiny 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  101 

is  my  own  !  And  thus  the  fatal  decision  is  made.  Slowly 
the  rebel  world  wheels  at  each  revolution,  further  and  yet 
further  from  the  great  centre  of  life  and  light.  In  spiral 
circuit  it  separates  further  and  still  further  from  its 
wonted  path,  till  finally,  cold  and  darkness  and  a  coming 
death  begin  to  assert  their  empire  over  a  misguided 
world.  With  a  start  of  horror  and  a  shudder  w^hich 
shakes  it  to  its  very  centre,  it  now  wakes  from  its  dream 
of  independence  and  exclaims  :  I  will  return  !  I  will  re- 
turn !     Alas  !  then  the  return  is  impossible. 

"  The  laws  of  nature  are  irrevocable.  The  sun  may 
yet  attract  with  living  power  the  lost  wanderer,  but  the 
bond  is  broken,  and  the  rebel  planet  must  become  a  wan- 
dering star,  for  which  is  reserved  the  blackness  of  dark- 
ness forever ! 

"  No,  my  friends  ;  the  analogies  of  nature,  applied  to 
the  moral  government  of  God,  would  crush  all  hope  in 
the  sinful  soul.  These,  for  millions  of  ages,  these  stern 
laws  have  reigned  supreme.  There  is  no  deviation,  no 
modification,  no  yielding  to  the  refractory  or  disobedient. 
All  is  harmony,  because  all  is  obedience.  Close  forever, 
if  you  will,  this  strange  book  claiming  to  be  God's  reve- 
lation— blot  out  forever  its  lessons  of  God's  creative  pow- 
er, God's  superabounding  providence,  God's  fatherhood 
and  loving  guardianship  to  man  his  erring  offspring,  and 
then  unseal  the  leaves  of  that  mighty  volume  which  the 
finger  of  God  has  written  in  the  stars  of  heaven,  and 


102  LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

these  flashing  letters  of  light,  we  read  only  the  dread  sen- 
tence, '  The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  surely  die  ! '  " 

In  1847  the  astronomer  was  appointed  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral of  the  State  of  Ohio,  an  office  he  held  two  years. 
This  position  placed  him  on  the  Governor's  staff,  and 
gave  him  charge  of  the  military  business  of  the  State. 
His  education  at  West  Point  had  fitted  him  to  fill  it  well. 
He  was  also  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Visit- 
ors annually  selected  for  the  examinations  at  the  Military 
Academy.  He  belonged  to  the  Eoyal  Academy  of  Lon- 
don, and  received  the  honors  of  other  institutions. 

During  all  the  years  of  building,  teaching,  and  travel, 
the  astronomer  had  also  been  a  brilliant  inventor.  His 
most  wonderfiil  invention  was  the  Declinometer.  It  would 
be  difficult,  until  you  study  astronomy  with  a  good  tele- 
scope, to  make  you  understand  it.  The  use  of  it  was  to 
get  the  position  of  the  stars  and  number  them.  Scientific 
men  affirm,  "  that  there  is  no  other  known  method  equal  to 
it  for  rapidity  and  accuracy  in  the  cataloguing  of  stars." 
It  is  a  beautiful  contrivance. 

Another  curious  invention  was  nice  machinery  which 
made  a  clock  record  its  beats,  or  each  pendulum  swing 
work  the  telegraph,  just  as  the  finger  of  the  operator  does 
in  sending  a  message.  The  motions  of  the  mechanism 
were  so  delicate  that  "  the  assistance  of  the  spider  was 
invoked."  His  slender  web  moved  a  wire  cross,  which 
was  raised  and  then  dipped  into  quicksilver  once  every 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  108 

secoDcl  for  raore  than  three  years  !  Much  longer  might 
the  silken  harness  have  raised  the  wire  sixty  times  a  min- 
ute, or  half  a  million  of  times  in  a  year,  had  it  been  let 
alone. 

Look  at  that  clock  with  Professor  Mitchel's  attach- 
ment. Tick,  tick,  it  goes ;  up  and  down,  the  cross  held 
by  the  web,  swings ;  and  dot,  dot,  on  the  paper,  is  the 
work  of  a  little  pointer.  The  clock  keeps  time,  and  works 
its  own  telegraph  with  the  precision  of  the  living  man 
over  his  machine. 

Various  and  extraordinary  improvements  were  added, 
until  the  automaton  operator  became  one  of  the  most  per- 
fect machines  ever  created  by  human  skiU.  It  seems  as 
if  a  soul  were  somewhere  in  it ;  such  are  the  wonders  of 
creative  genius ! 

In  1852  he  commenced  the  publication  of  the  Sidereal 
Messenger^  the  first  paper  which  ever  came  from  the 
American  press  devoted  to  the  stars.  But  there  was 
then  too  little  interest  in  the  bright  worlds  above  our 
own  to  sustain  the  beautiful  messenger  of  his  obser- 
vations— the  gathered  rays  of  knowledge  which  came 
from  the  spheres  to  his  mind  in  the  "watches  of  the 
night." 


CHAPTER  X. 

Professor  Mitchel  called  to  Albany — Makes  a  War  Speecli— Thrilling  Anecdote 
related  by  him^-Intense  Enthusiasm — His  influence  at  Albany — What  is 
the  use  of  Obserratories  ? — The  largest  Telescope — A  Poet's  Hymn. 

^N  the  summer  of  1860,  the  finished  professor,  engi- 
neer, railroad  president,  and  financier,  was  called 
to  be  a  peacemaker  in  the  cause  he  loved.  General 
Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  following  the  example  of 
.Mr.  Longworth,  offered  several  acres  of  highland 
near  the  city  of  Albany  for  the  site  of  an  observatory. 
Mrs.  Blandina  Dudley,  a  wealthy  lady  there,  gave 
813,000  toward  a  building.  Other  individuals  of  means 
increased  the  amount  to  $25,000. 

Professor  Mitchel  furnished  the  plan  of  the  edifice, 
which  was  commenced  in  1853.  It  was  completed  in 
less  than  three  years,  and  named  after  the  principal  donor 
the  Dudley  Observatory.  But  the  selfish  aims  and  dis- 
position to  quarrel,  which  have  ruined  the  peace  of  fami- 
lies, churches,  and  nations,  unsettled  the  management, 
and  threatened  the  success  of  the  splendid  enterprise. 
5* 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  105 

While  negotiating  with  the  directors,  whose  call  was 
urgent,  he  happened  to  be  in  New  York  May  20th,  1860, 
when  the  great  mass  meeting  assembled  in  Union  Square, 
because  rebel  cannon  had  hurled  defiance  at  the  Stars  and 
Stripes.  Hundreds  of  boys,  with  thousands  of  men,  on 
that  signal  day,  in  long  processions  poured  into  the  ample 
area,  now  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  Banners  were  waved 
over  the  throngs,  and  fluttered  from  unnumbered  win- 
dows. Platforms  festooned  with  flags,  bands  of  music, 
and  wildly-beating  hearts,  were  under  the  shadow  of 
Washington's  Equestrian  Statue. 

Hearken  to  the  eloquent  voices  that  ring  out  upon  the 
ears  of  the  eager  multitude. 

The  venerable  Gardiner  Spring,  D.D.,  of  the  Old 
Brick  Church,  made  the  opening  prayer  after  a  few  pa- 
triotic remarks — the  keynote  of  the  grand  occasion. 

Hon.  John  A.  Dix  was  chosen  president.  Among  the 
nearly  one  hundred  vice-presidents  were  William  B.  Astor, 
Esq.,  W.  C.  Bryant,  the  poet-editor,  R.  B.  Minturn,  and 
Henry  Grinnell,  the  merchant  princes,  with  many  distin- 
guished citizens  from  all  the  professions  and  business  cen- 
tres of  the  great  metropolis.  . 

The  President  made  an  eloquent  speech.  When  he 
alluded  to  the  gallant  defence  of  Fort  Sumter  by  General 
Anderson,  who  was  present,  and  pointed  to  the  tattered 
flag  which  waved  over  the  hundred  men  while  several 
thousand  rebels  opened  upon  the  fortress,  the  very  statue 


106  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

of  Washington  seemed  to  rock  before  such  a  storm  of 
cheering  as  never  went  up  around  it  before. 

The  Hon.  Daniel  S.  Dickinson  followed  with  a  thrill- 
ing appeal.  Of  the  peculiar  and  mournful  character  of 
the  war,  he  said  :  "  The  most  brilliant  successes  that  ever 
attended  the  field  of  battle  could  afford  me  no  pleasure  ; 
because  I  cannot  but  reflect  that  of  every  one  who  falls 
in  this  unnatural  strife,  be  it  on  one  side  or  the  other,  we 
must  in  our  sober  moments  exclaim : 

Another  sword  has  laid  him  low, 

Another,  and  another's ; 
And  every  hand  that  dealt  a  blow — 

Ah,  me !  it  was  a  broihe;-^s. 

But  we  are  called  upon  to  act.  It  is  a  time  when  the 
people  should  rise  in  the  majesty  of  their  might,  and 
stretch,  forth  their  strong  arms  and  silence  the  angi*y 
waves  of  tumult.  It  is  a  question  between  union  and 
anarchy — ^between  law  and  disorder.  It  should  be,  '  Oar 
country,  our  whole  country,  and  nothing  but  the  country.' 

"  '  'Tis  not  the  whole  of  hfe  to  Uve, 
Nor  all  of  death  to  die.'  " 

The  next  address  was  a  glowing,  stirring  burst  of  elo- 
quence by  the  lamented,  brave,  noble  General  Baker  of 
Oregon.  He  was  in  the  Mexican  war  at  the  storming  of 
Cerro  Gordo's  bloody  heights,  and  fell,  you  recollect, 
at  Ball's   Bluff — a  sacrifice- to  a   military  blunder.      I 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MnCHEL.  107 

•will  give  you  a  single  passage  of  liis  impassioned  speech, 
which  moved  the  vast  throng  as  the  tempest  bows  the 
forest  before  its  breath  : 

"  I  am  not  here  now  to  speak  timorous  words  of 
peace,  but  to  kindle  the  spirit  of  manly,  determined  war. 
I  speak  in  the  midst  of  the  Empire  State,  amid  scenes  of 
past  suffering  and  past  glory  ;  the  defences  of  the  Hudson 
above  me  ;  the  battle-field  of  Long  Island  before  me  ;  and 
the  statue  of  Washington  in  my  very  face  ;  the  battered 
and  unconquered  flag  of  Sumter  waving  in  his  hands, 
which  I  can  almost  now  imagine  trembles  with  the  ex- 
citement of  battle." 

The  torn  banner  of  Sumter  was  placed  on  the  statue. 

Passing  by  the  speeches  of  Caleb  Lyon,  ex-Governor 
Hunt,  and  others,  we  come  to  the  scene  around  Professor 
Mitchel  in  front  of  the  Everett  House.  No  speaker  could 
make  all  of  the  immense  and  excited  throng  hear  his 
voice.  And  at  this  spot  was  organized  another  meeting, 
of  which  ex-Governor  Fish  was  President. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Vinton,  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  opened 
it  with  an  impressive  prayer,  of  which  the  following  words 
related  especially  to  the  country  : 

"  O  God,  we  have  heard  with  our  ears  and  our  fathers 
have  declared  unto  us  the  noble  works  thou  didst  in  their 
days,  and  in  the  old  time,  before  them.  Let  the  shield 
of  thy  omnipotent  care  be  extended  over  the  United 
States  of  America,  to   defend   the  Constitution,  and  to 


108  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

perfect  the  union  of  the  people.  Inspire  the  people  with 
a  spirit  to  think  and  to  do  that  which  is  right.  Thou 
hast  proclaimed  throughout  the  land — 'Prepare  war, 
wake  up  the  mighty  men,  let  all  the  men  of  war  draw 
near,  let  them  come  up,  heat  your  ploughshares  into 
swords,  and  your  pruning-hooks  into  spears — let  the 
weak  say  I  am  strong.'  A  loving  patriotism  has  yielded 
the  pride  and  treasures  of  the  family  to  protect  the  State. 
May  Thy  Spirit  descend  upon  the  great  congregation  of 
Thy  people.  Inspire  the  orators  to  speak  the  truth  in 
love,  and  bow  our  hearts  in  obedience  to  duty  as  Chris- 
tians and  fellow-citizens,  as  loyalists  and  patriots,  as  sin- 
ners saved  in  a  common  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ, 
to  whom  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  be  praise 
now  and  forever.     Amen." 

The  Governor,  Hiram  Ketcham,  and  Henry  J.  Ray- 
mond, editor  of  the  New  York  Times,  addressed  the  mul- 
titude. An  extract  from  the  brilliant  oration  of  the  latter 
contains  a  fine  anecdote  of  General  Anderson  : 

"  I  heard  an  anecdote  to-day  from  Major  Anderson 
(cheers  for  Anderson)  which  may  interest  you,  and  at  the 
same  time  illustrate  this  position.  During  the  attack  on 
Fort  Sumter,  a  report  came  here  that  the  flag  on  the 
morning  of  the  fight  was  half-mast.  I  asked  him  if  that 
was  true,  and  he  said  there  was  not  a  word  of  truth  in 
the  report.  He  said  that  during  the  firing  one  of  the  hal- 
yards was  shot  away,  and  the  flag  in  consequence  dropped 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL    MITOHEL.  109 

dovra  a  few  feet.  The  rope  caught  in  the  staff,  and  could 
not  be  reached,  so  that  the  flag  could  not  be  either  lowered 
or  hoisted ;  and,  said  the  Major,  '  God  Almighty  nailed 
that  flag  to  the  flagmast,  and  I  could  not  have  lowered  it 
if  I  tried.'  (Immense  cheering.)  Yes,  fellow-citizens, 
God  Almighty  has  nailed  that  resplendent  flag  to  its  mast, 
and  if  the  South  dares  to  march  upon  Washington,  they 
will  find  that  that  cannot  be  taken  down.  No  !  they  will 
find  that  that  sacred  sword  which  defends  and  strikes  for 
human  rights — ^that  sword  which  Cromwell  wielded,  and 
which  our  fathers  brought  into  the  contest,  and  which 
made  us  a  nation — wiU  be  taken  once  more  from  its  scab- 
bard to  fight  the  battle  of  liberty  against  rebellion  and 
treason." 

No  tones  of  patriotic  fervor  and  stirring  oratory 
awaken  a  deeper  echo,  or  come  from  a  loftier,  purer 
soul,  than  those  that  fell  from  the  lips  of  Professor 
Mitchel.  If  you  did  not  listen  to  them,  read  the  burn- 
ing words  that  thrilled  the  populace  : 

"  I  know  that  I  am  a  stranger  among  you.  ('  No, 
no.')  I  have  been  in  your  State  but  a  little  while  ;  but  I 
am  with  you  in  heart,  and  soul,  and  mind,  and  strength  ; 
and  all  that  I  have,  and  am,  belongs  to  you  and  our  com- 
mon country,  and  to  nothing  else.  I  have  been  announced 
to  you  as  a  citizen  of  Kentucky.  Once  I  was,  because  I 
was  born  there.  I  love  my  native  State  as  you  love  your 
native  State.     I  love  my  adopted  State  of  Ohio  as  you 


110  LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

love  your  adopted  State,  if  such  you  have  ;  but,  my  friends, 
I  am  a  citizen  now  of  any  State.  I  owe  allegiance  to  no 
State,  and  never  did,  and,  God  helping  me,  I  never  will. 
I  owe  allegiance  to  the  Government  of  the  United  States. 

"  I  did  not  abjure  the  love  of  my  own  State,  or  of  my 
adopted  State  ;  but  over  all  that  rose  proudly,  triumphant, 
and  predominant,  my  love  for  our  common  country.  And 
now,  to-day,  that  common  country  is  assailed,  and  alas ! 
that  I  am  compelled  to  say  it,  it  is  assailed  in  some  sense 
by  my  own  countrymen;  My  father  and  my  mother 
were  from  old  Virginia,  and  my  brothers  and  sisters  from 
old  Kentucky.  I  love  them  all ;  I  love  them  dearly.  I 
have  my  brothers  and  friends  down  in  the  South  now, 
united  to  me  by  the  fondest  ties  of  love  and  affection.  I 
would  take  them  into  my  arms  to-day  with  ail  the  love 
God  has  put  into  my  heart ;  but  if  I  found  them  in  arms, 
I  would  be  compelled  to  smite  them  down.  (Great  cheer- 
ing.) 

"  You  have  found  officers  of  the  army  who  have  been 
educated  by  the  Government,  who  have  drawn  their  sup- 
port from  the  Government  for  long  years,  who,  when 
called  upon  by  their  country  to  stand  for  the  Constitution 
and  the  right,  have  basely,  ignominiously,  and  traitor- 
ously, either  resigned  their  commissions  or  deserted  to 
traitors,  rebels,  and  enemies.  The  traitors  and  rebels 
North,  and  the  traitors  at  the  South,  we  must  set  aside. 
They  are  not  our  friends.    When  they  come  to  their  senses 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  Ill 

Tre  will  receive  them  with  open  arms  ;  but  till  that  time, 
while  they  are  trailing  our  glorious  banner  in  the  dust, 
when  they  scorn  it,  condemn  it,  curse  it,  and  trample  it 
under  foot,  then  I  must  smite. 

"  My  friends,  that  is  the  spirit  that  was  in  the  city 
yesterday.  I  was  told  of  an  incident  which  occurred  that 
drew  the  tears  to  my  eyes,  and  I  am  not  much  used  to 
the  melting  mood  at  all.  A  man  in  your  city  had  a  be- 
loved wife  and  two  children  depending  upon  his  personal 
labor  day  by  day  for  their  support.  He  met  her  and  said : 
'  Wife,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  enlist  and  fight  for  my  coun- 
try.' Said  she,  '  That's  just  what  I  have  been  thinking 
of,  too  ;  God  bless  you  !  and  may  you  come  back  without 
harm !  But  if  you  die  in  the  defence  of  the  country,  the 
God  of  the  widow  and  the  fatherless  will  take  care  of  me 
and  my  children.'  That  same  wife  came  to  your  city. 
She  knew  precisely  when  her  husband  was  to  pass  as  he 
marched  away.  She  took  her  position  on  the  pavement, 
and,  finding  a  flag,  she  begged  leave  just  to  stand  beneath 
its  sacred  folds,  and  take  a  last  fond  look  on  him  whom 
she  possibly  might  never  see  again.  The  husband  marched 
down  the  street;  their  eyes  met;  a  sympathetic  flash 
went  from  heart  to  heart ;  she  gave  one  shout  and  fell  to 
the  pavement,  and  there  she  lay  for  not  less  than  thirty 
minutes  in  a  swoon.  It  seemed  to  be  the  departing  of  her 
life.  But  all  the  sensibility  was  sealed  up.  It  was  all 
sacrifice.     She  was  wiQing  to  meet  the  tremendous  sacri- 


112  LIFE   OF   GENEKAL   MITCHEL. 

fice  upon  which  we  have  entered.  And  I  trust  you  all 
are  ready.  Lead  me  to  the  conflict.  Into  that  I  am 
ready  to  go.  I  care  not  where  duty  calls  me,  I  am 
ready.  God  help  me  to  do  my  duty.  In  God's  name  I 
wiU  smite,  and  as  long  as  I  have  strength  to  do  it.  (En- 
thusiastic cheering.)  Oh  listen  to  me,  listen  to  me  !  I 
know  these  men ;  I  know  their  courage ;  I  have  been 
among  them ;  I  have  been  with  them.  They  have 
courage,  and  do  not  pretend  to  think  that  they  have 
not.  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  it  is  no  child's  play  you  are 
entering  upon.  They  will  fight  with  a  determination  and 
a  power  well  nigh  irresistible  ;  make  up  your  mind  to  it. 
Let  every  man  put  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  say  :  '  There 
is  the  altar  of  my  country,  there  I  will  sacrifice  my  life.' 
(Wildest  cheering.)  I  am  ready  to  fight  in  the  ranks  or 
out  of  the  ranks.  Having  been  educated  at  West  Point, 
having  been  in  the  army  seven  years,  having  served  as  a 
commander  of  a  volunteer  company  ten  years,  and  having 
served  as  an  adjutant-general,  I  feel  I  am  ready  for  some- 
thing. I  only  ask  to  be  permitted  to  act ;  and^  in  God's 
name,  give  me  something  to  do." 

You  cannot  well  imagine  the  effect  of  this  glorious 
appeal.  The  throng  around  the  stand  waved  their  hats, 
shouted,  and  not  a  few  wept  with  the  intensity  of  emotion. 
The  orator  could  have  led  the  entire  multitude  to  any  field 
of  conflict  at  that  moment.  The  stranger  went  on  his 
way.     Smothering  the  fire  in  his  soul  he  repaired  to  his 


LIFE    OF    GENEEAL    rMITCHEL.  113 

watclitower  in  the  capital  of  the  empire  State,  because 
there  was  then  his  post  of  duty.  His  patient  spirit,  which 
resolved  at  the  beginning  of  the  labors  for  observatories, 
never  to  get  angry ^  calmed  the  strife.  Soon  the  intellect- 
ual and  moral  atmosphere  of  his  presence  pervaded  the 
new  sphere  of  his  rare  abilities.  His  eagle  eye  was  on 
the  same  heavens  at  night  on  which  he  had  gazed  from 
the  college  tower  and  the  heights  near  Cincinnati.  In 
the  Church  of  Grod,  and  everywhere,  his  influence  was 
benign  and  cheering  as  the  morning  light. 

"  And  what  is  the  real  benefit  of  observatories  ?  What 
good  do  they  do?"  you  may  ask,  reader  ;  for  the  question 
has  been  asked  by  men  of  wealth  and  influence.  Pro- 
fessor Mitchel  had  to  answer  it  countless  times.  I  will 
give  you  three  great  advantages  to  the  people  : 

They  give  accurate  time.  The  best  clocks  are  kept  in 
them  ;  and  errors,  if  any,  in  beating  the  seconds,  are  cor- 
rected daily  by  the  instruments  for  the  purpose. 

In  Greenwich,  England,  there  is  a  curious  contrivance 
to  keep  the  public  "  posted"  on  time.  On  a  turret  of  the 
Royal  Observatory  there  is  a  mast.  Like  a  large  flagstaff. 
On  it  slides  a  ball  made  of  wood  and  covered  with  leather 
fifteen  feet  in  circumference.  A  little  before  one  o'clock 
each  day  that  ball  is  raised  to  the  top  of  the  mast.  Precisely 
at  one  o'clock,  by  the  corrected  time,  down  goes  the  round 
signal,  and  out  come  the  watches,  while  unnumbered  eyes 
are  turned  to  the  clocks  of  the  dwellings  and  offices  of 


114  LIFE    OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

business.  Tlieir  pointers  are  moved,  and  the  people 
around  agree,  for  a  moment  at  least,  in  time. 

Nor  is  this  the  most  wonderful  part  of  the  arrange- 
ment for  the  benefit  of  the  public.  A  clock  inside  of  the 
observatory,  which  indicates  exactly  the  corrections  of 
time,  is  connected  with  a  galvanic  clock  at  the  entrance 
gate,  and  also  a  clock  at  the  terminus  of  the  Southeastern 
Railway.  It  sends  galvanic  signals  every  day  along  the 
principal  railroads  which  converge  in  London.  It  drops 
the  G-reenwich  ball,  and  another  in  the  Telegraph  Com- 
pany's offices  on  the  Strand.  At  Deal,  the  Admiralty 
have  a  signal  for  the  benefit  of  the  mariners. 

Just  think  of  it.  If  the  time  at  the  Observatory, 
measured  by  the  unerring  stars,  is  a  minute  too  fast  or 
too  slow,  the  clockwork  tells  the  fact  to  the  galvanic  time- 
keeper at  the  gate,  and  at  the  great  railway  station.  And 
then  fleeter  than  rushing  cars,  go  every  day,  the  signals 
from  one  depot  to  another.  The  bright  worlds  above 
telegraph  to  the  astronomer  through  his  delicate  instru- 
ment ;  he  touches  the  mechanism  his  genius  has  con- 
structed, and  the  telegraphic  nerves  in  an  instant  send  it 
over  the  kingdom. 

In  Washington,  our  national  capital,  the  ball  drops  at 
twelve  o'clock. 

Now,  my  reader,  when  you  reflect  on  the  fact,  that  a 
slight  error  in  the  sea  captain's  chronometer  may  derange 
his  calculations  of  latitude  and  longitude,  and  shipwi'eck 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL    ]^nTCHEL.  115 

his  vessel,  how  important  to  him  is  an  observatory,  and 
to  you  if,  with  the  travelling  thousands,  you  are  on  the 
deep  !  Then  remember  that  a  mistake  of  a  few  seconds 
may  bring  a  collision  on  the  railroad,  and  kill  a  score  or 
more  of  passengers — and  how  important  appears  the  true 
time  to  all  the  conductors  on  the  ii'on-paved  highway  ! 
And  similar  provisions  for  safety  might  be  made  in  every 
country,  state,  and  province. 

Another  advantage  of  observatories,  is  the  economy  as 
well  as  security,  of  our  commerce.  Were  it  not  for  the 
labors  of  astronomers,  our  ships,  as  of  old,  would  have  to 
creep  along  the  shores,  afraid  to  traverse  the  faithless 
ocean.  The  shortest  routes  from  one  port  to  another  could 
not  be  taken  ;  disasters  would  be  increased,  and  boundless 
wealth  which  now  comes  over  the  blue  main,  would  re- 
main unsought,  unknown. 

There  is  yet  another  sublime  reason  for  erecting  and 
furnishing  on  a  large  scale,  and  in  greater  number,  astro- 
nomical observatories.  It  is  the  education  which  tbey 
furnish.  They  benefit  the  humbler  institutions  of  learn- 
ing. Wherever  there  is  such  a  watchtower  of  the  skies, 
the  general  intelligence  will  be  increased.  The  higher 
learning  will  come  down  on  the  lower  sphere  of  culture, 
and  tend  to  elevate  it. 

You  cannot  look  up  to  the  observatory  without  being 
reminded  of  the  wonders  of  the  firmament,  and  of  Him 
who  bent  that  arch.     Much  less  can  you  ascend  its  stair- 


116  LITE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL. 

way  and  look  throngli  its  telescope,  whicli,  -svitli  its  Aa?*- 
nessj  weighs  tons,  upon  the  flaming  islands  floating  upon 
"  airy  nothing,"  without  purer,  wiser  thoughts. 

The  largest  telescope  in  this  country  is  now,  I  believe, 
in  Cambridge,  Mass.  The  finest  in  the  world  was  built 
and  is  owned  by  Earl  William  Parsons  Rosse,  of  Birr 
Castle,  Kings  County,  Ireland.  He  erected  the  Ob- 
servatory on  his  gi'ounds  in  1844.  The  grand  telescope 
cost  sixty  thousand  dollars.  The  tube  is  six  feet  in  the 
opening,  and  the  whole  weighs  six  thousand  pounds.  It 
has  the  most  powerful  reflector  known,  prepared  by  a  new 
method,  the  invention  of  Lord  Rosse.  Several  years  were 
required  for  building  the  wonderful  instrument.  It  re- 
veals stars — and  inequalities  in  the  moon,  which  can  be 
seen  by  no  other  telescope.  The  noble  granite  pile 
which  supports  it,  the  tackle  for  raising  and  adjusting  it, 
are  unsurpassed,  and  were  created  from  the  resources  of 
his  own  abundant  wealth.  Should  you  visit  the  British 
empire,  and  get  a  view  of  the  blazing  orbs  through 
this  monster  telescope,  you  would  not  soon  forget  the 
scene. 

Before  we  leave  the  astronomical  career  of  Professor 
Mitchel,  I  must  add  a  few  stanzas  from  a  poem  suggested 
by  celestial  scenery.  It  is  the  finest,  to  my  knowledge, 
in  any  language.  It  was  appreciated  by  none  more  than 
the  devout  IMitchel.  The  author,  Derzhaven,  was  a  Rus- 
sian.    He  had  gazed  upon  the  luminous  heavens  from  his 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL.  llY 

northern  home,  where  they  flash  and  burn  as  nowhere 
else  so  brightly. 

The  clear  cold  air  gives  the  stars  a  singular  bright- 
ness. The  auroral  splendor  at  times  seems  like  a  hundred 
crimson  banners  bordered  and  tinged  with  purple,  green, 
and  gold,  waving  in  the  sky  !  The  Great  Bear,  and  all  the 
grand  constellations  circling  around  the  Pole  Star,  make 
the  dome  of  the  north  an  object  of  surpassing  grandeur 
and  beauty.  It  is  the  inspiration  of  such  a  view  of  the 
divine  power  and  glory  which  breathes  in  the  magnificent 
hymn  to 

THE    DEITY. 

0  thou  Eternal  One  !  whose  presence  bright 
All  space  doth  occupy,  all  motion  guide  ; 
Unchanged  through  times  all  devastating  flight ; 
Thou  only  God  I     There  is  no  God  beside  ! 
Being  above  all  beings  !     Mighty  One  ! 
Whom  none  can  comprehend,  and  none  explore ; 
Who  fill' St  existence  with  thyself  alone  : 
Embracmg  all — supporting — ruling  o'er — 
Being  whom  we  call  God  and  know  no  more  ! 

As  sparks  mount  upward  from  the  fiery  blaze, 

So  suns  are  born ;  so  worlds  spring  forth  from  thee : 

And  as  the  spangles  in  the  sunny  rays 

Shine  round  the  silver  snow,  the  pageantry 

Of  heav'n's  bright  armies  glitters  in  thy  praise, 

A  miUion  torches  lighted  by  thy  hand, 
Wander  unwearied  through  the  blue  abyss  5 


118  LIFE    OF    GEXESAL    MITCHEL. 

Theyjawn  thy  power,  accomplish  thy  command, 
All  gay  with  life,  all  eloquent  with  bhss. 
What  shall  we  call  them  ?     Piles  of  crystal  light, 
A  glorious  company  of  golden  streams, 
Lamps  of  celestial  ether,  burning  bright, — 
Suns  lighting  systems  with  their  joyous  beams  ? 
But  thou,  to  these,  art  as  the  noon  to  night ! 

Yes,  as  a  drop  of  water  in  the  sea. 

All  this  magnificence  in  thee  is  lost ! 

What  are  ten  thousand  worlds  compared  to  thee  ? 

And  what  am  I,  then  ?     Heaven's  unnumbered  host, 

Though  multiplied  by  myriads,  and  arrayed 

In  all  the  glory  of  subhmest  thought, 

Is  but  an  atom  in  the  balance  weight 

Against  thy  greatness — is  a  cipher  brought 

Against  infinity !     What  am  I,  then  ?    Naught  I 

Naught !    But  the  affluence  of  thy  light  divine, 
Pervading  worlds,  hath  reached  my  bosom  too  ; 
Yes,  in  my  spirit,  doth  thy  Spirit  shme, 
As  shines  the  sunbeam  in  a  drop  of  dew. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Preparations  for  Conflict — The  attempt  to  Assassinate  the  President-elect— 
The  Secret  History  of  the  Inauguration — The  Commencement  of  Hostilities. 

\EFORE  I  introduce  the  splendid  astronomer  to 
your  admii-ation  under  the  starry  banner  of 
the  country  which  he  loved,  I  will  take  you 
back  to  the  scenes  which  called  him  from  his 
observatory  ai^d  charts,  dearer  to  him  than  all 
other  material  objects,  excepting  the  Bible,  his  family, 
and  the  republic.  If  not  a  platform  reformer,  his  great 
heart  beat  true  to  God  and  humanity.  From  his  loving 
gaze  into  the  star-sown  fields  of  ether,  he  looked  anxiously 
over  the  troubled  land  whose  political  campaign  in  the 
autumn  of  1860  had  stirred,  as  no  other  had,  the  tides  of 
national  feeling.  Nor  had  he  forgotten  the  scenes  in 
Union  Square,  New  York,  during  the  previous  May. 

For  long  years  the  South  had  been  preparing  for  a 
conflict  with  the  North.  The  claim  of  the  former  to 
superior  blood,  the  determination  to  preserve  and  extend 


120  LIFE    OF    GEXEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

slavery,  and  the  desire  to  have  a  nationality  in  accord- 
ance vrith  these  ideas,  had  for  many  years  been  gaining 
strength  and  influence  in  the  cotton  States.  The  election 
of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  "  Black  Republican,"  as  the 
majority  of  the  people  who  elected  him  were  called,  be- 
cause of  their  hostility  to  American  slavery,  was  a  signal 
for  revolt  and  revolution. 

All  the  winter  succeeding  the  hour  when  the  people's 
choice  was  known,  were  heard  the  mutterings  of  discon- 
tent, and  seen  the  preparations  for  resistance  to  the  in- 
coming administration.  Gifted,  but  evil-minded  men  in 
Congress,  and  even  in  the  President's  cabinet,  went  frown- 
ing to  and  from  the  national  capital.  They  met  in  secret 
council,  and  with  fiery  looks  and  speech  talked  over  a  dis- 
solution of  the  Union — in  other  words,  death  to  the  Re- 
public. 

The  infamous  Floyd,  Secretary  of  War,  resigned,  and 
the  Hon.  Joseph  Holt  took  his  place,  who  at  once  began 
to  look  after  the  defences  of  Washington.  It  was  then 
we  heard  the  hypocritical  cry,  '*  No  coercion !  no  coer- 
cion ! "  That  is  to  say,  let  us  alone  in  our  treasonable 
designs. 

I  shall  refresh  your  memory  of  a  few  stirring  events 
of  that  winter,  because  they  not  only  thrilled  the  heart  of 
Professor  Mitchel,  and  suffused  his  eye  Avith  tears  of 
grie"sdng  loyalty  while  fixed  on  the  stars  in  the  field  of  his 
telescope,  but  in  their  consequences  cost  him  his  useful  life. 


LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MITCHEL.  121 

In  Charleston  harbor,  near  the  city  where  secession 
had  its  birth  in  formal  action,  a  few  months  before,  stood 
the  forts,  Moultrie,  on  Sullivan's  Island,  Castle  Pinckney, 
and  rising  in  massive  grandeur  and  mounting  one  hundred 
and  forty  guns,  Sumter.  Major  R.  Anderson  had  been 
compelled,  by  the  signs  of  attack,  to  leave  Moultrie  for 
Sumter,  a  much  stronger  fortress. 

The  first  thing,  after  he  had  entered  the  fort  with  his 
eighty  brave  soldiers,  "  Major  Anderson  assembled  the 
whole  of  his  little  force,  with  the  workmen  employed  on 
the  fort,  around  the  foot  of  the  flagstaff.  The  national 
ensign  was  attached  to  the  cord,  and  Major  Anderson, 
holding  the  ends  of  the  lines  in  his  hands,  knelt  reverent- 
ly do^vn.  The  officers,  soldiers,  and  men  clustered  around, 
many  of  them  on  their  knees,  all  deeply  impressed  with 
the  solemnity  of  the  scene.  The  chaplain  made  an  earnest 
prayer — such  an  appeal  for  support,  encouragement,  and 
mercy,  as  one  would  make  who  felt  that  '  man's  extrem- 
ity is  God's  opportunity.'  As  the  earnest,  solemn  words 
of  the  speaker  ceased,  and  the  men  responded  amen,  with 
a  fervency  that  perhaps  they  had  never  before  experienced, 
iSIajor  Anderson  drew  the  '  Star  Spangled  Banner'  up  to 
the  top  of  the  staff,  the  band  broke  out  with  the  national 
air,  '  Hail  Columbia,'  and  loud  and  exultant  cheers,  re- 
peated again  and  again,  were  given  by  officers,  soldiers, 
and  workmen.  If  South  Carolina  had  at  that  moment 
attacked  the  fort,  there  would  have  been  no  hositatioa 
6 


122  LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

upon  the  part  of  any  man  within  it  about  defending  that 
flag." 

President  Buchanan  was  perplexed  and  timid ;  the 
rebels  in  earnest,  and  fearless.  An  unarmed  steamer, 
the  "  Star  of  the  West,"  went  with  supplies  to  Fort  Sum- 
ter. Upon  approaching  it,  the  first  guns  of  the  war  thun- 
dered defiance  at  the  steamer  which  carried  only  food  for 
hungry  men.  This  was  early  on  the  morning  of  January 
9th,  1861.  A  wave  of  indignation  swept  over  the  land, 
and  that  was  all :  a  cowardly  hand  was  at  the  helm  of 
the  dishonored  Ship  of  State.  Government  vessels  were 
seized,  sometimes  surrendered  at  the  mere  demand  of 
traitors,  whose  ordinance  of  secession  had  been  passed  at 
Charleston  three  months  before.  But  brightly  shone  the 
loyalty  of  others. 

When  the  "Alabama  Navy"  commanded  Lieutenant 
Maffit  to  surrender  the  Crusader,  his  noble  scorn  was  ex- 
pressed in  these  words  :  "  I  may  be  overpowered,  but  in- 
that  event  what  will  he  left  of  the  Crusader  will  not  he 
worth  taking."     He  got  away  with  his  vessel. 

Captain  Porter  was  ordered  in  February  to  strike  his 
colors  to  South  Carolina.  From  his  ship,  the  St.  Mary's, 
at  Panama  Bay,  he  wrote  the  following  sublimely  fearless 
reply :  "  All  under  my  command  are  true  and  loyal  to 
the  '  Stars  and  Stripes,'  and  to  the  Constitution.  My 
duty  is  plain  before  me.  The  constitutional  Government 
of  the  United  States  has  entrusted  me  with  the  command 


LITE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL.  123 

of  this  beautiful  ship,  and  before  I  will  permit  any  other 
flag  than  the  '  Stars  and  Stripes '  to  fly  at  her  peak,  I 
will  fire  a  pistol  into  her  magazine  and  blow  her  up. 
This  is  my  answer  to  the  infamous  proposition." 

February  11th,  Abraham  Lincoln  gave  his  fellow- 
citizens  at  the  railroad  depot,  Springfield,  Illinois,  the 
following  impressive  farewell,  worthy  of  the  newly-elected 
ruler  of  a  great  nation  threatened  by  rebellion  : 

•  "  My  friends  !  No  one  not  in  my  position  can  appre- 
ciate the  sadness  I  feel  at  this  parting.  To  this  people  I 
owe  all  that  I  am.  Here  I  have  lived  more  than  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century.  Here  my  children  were  born,  and  here 
one  of  them  lies  buried.  I  know  not  how  soon  I  shall 
see  you  again.  A  duty  devolves  on  me  which  is  perhaps 
greater  than  that  which  has  been  devolved  upon  any  other 
man  since  the  days  of  Washington.  He  would  never 
have  succeeded  except  for  the  aid  of  Divine  Providence, 
upon  which  he  at  all  times  relied.  I  feel  that  I  cannot 
succeed  without  the  same  divine  aid  which  sustained  him. 
In  the  same  Almighty  Being  I  place  my  reliance  for  sup- 
port, and  I  hope  you,  my  friends,  will  pray  that  I  may 
receive  that  divine  assistance,  without  which  I  cannot 
succeed,  but  with  which  success  is  certain.  Again  I  bid 
you  all  an  affectionate  farewell." 

At  Indianapolis,  Cincinnati,  Columbus,  and  other 
cities  along  his  route,  echoing  belts,  booming  cannon, 
and  other  demonstrations  of  enthusiastic  joy,  greeted  him. 


124  LIFE   OF    GEXEEAL    MITCHEL. 

At  Buffalo,  he  passed  under  the  flag  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  bearing  the  inscription,  "  "We  will 
praj  for  you."  After  similar  receptions  at  Albany,  New 
York,  and  Philadelphia,  he  reached  Harrisburg. 

Here  it  became  evident,  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt, 
that  a  conspiracy  existed  to  assassinate  jMt.  Lincoln,  and 
to  prevent  his  inauguration.  The  plot  was  ripened  in 
Baltimore.  An  Italian,  a  barber,  it  was  afterward  re- 
ported and  believed,  was  to  pluck  the  fruit.  He  was  to 
see  that  the  fatal  blow  was  given  amid  the  confusion  of 
the  riot,  when  the  train  in  which  the  President-elect  was 
expected,  arrived.  A  railroad  official  promptly  planned 
an  escape  from  the  peril.  The  few  friends  who  were  in 
the  secret  approved  of  it.  A  carriage  was  ordered,  Mr. 
Lincoln  stepped  into  it  with  his  unofficial  escort ;  and  with 
an  order  given  to  the  driver  to  cast  no  backward  look,  he 
was  carried  to  another  point  of  departure,  reaching  Bal- 
timore by  way  of  Philadelphia  before  the  arrival  of  the 
cars  he  had  intended  to  take.  The  conspirators  were  not 
looking  for  him,  and  of  course  were  foiled  in  their  fiendish 
purpose.  The  object  of  their  hate  passed  on  safely  to 
Washington.  Saturday,  February  23d,  when  the  train 
bearing  Mrs.  Lincoln  without  her  husband  reached  Bal- 
timore, the  mob  in  a  rage  were  compelled  to  give  up  the 
search  for  their  victim. 

This  fact,  with  others  which  I  shall  narrate,  were  re- 
lated by  Adjutant-General  Thomas,  who  has  so  nobly 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL    IVnTCHEL.  125 

carried  out  the  President's  proclamation  of  freedom  to  tlie 
enslaved.  He  has  for  many  years  been  the  superintendent 
of  a  Sabbath-school  in  Georgetown,  near  Washington, 
and  speaks  of  it  with  more  interest  than  of  his  military 
honors. 

General  Scott  was  at  the  head  of  the  United  States 
Army,  and  General  Thomas  was  then  his  adjutant. 
Standing  by  the  side  of  the  chief,  it  was  his  respon- 
sibility to  act  under  him  in  preparing  for  the  next  at- 
tempt to  put  Mr.  Lincoln  out  of  the  way,  which  was  to 
be  at  the  inauguration.  It  is  not  the  place  to  tell  you  all 
this  quiet  work  of  the  hours  before  the  4th  of  March, 
1861.  How  the  armed  men  were  drilled,  and  assigned 
their  positions  ;  the  cannon  placed  at  the  commanding 
points  around  the  capitol,  and  "  shotted ; "  and  then, 
when  the  congressional  halls  were  filled,  how,  putting  off 
his  military  dress  for  a  plain  citizen's  apparel,  General 
Thomas  went  among  the  people  there  to  feel  the  excited 
pulse,  and  learn,  if  possible,  what  to  expect. 

But  you  know  that  the  day  wore  away  peacefully. 
The  President's  oath  was  taken  ;  silence  wrapped  the  late 
night  in  Washington  with  no  tragedy  to  mar  its  peace. 
Soon  came  the  scenes  of  Forts  Moultrie  and  Sumter  ;  the 
uprising  of  the  people  ;  and  the  murder  of  Massachusetts 
soldiers  in  Baltimore  April  19th,  the  anniversary  of  the 
first  blood-shedding  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle  eighty- 
five  years  before,  in  Lexington,  Massachusetts.     Unless 


126  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL. 

you  recollect  the  state  of  feeling  then,  you  cannot  imagine 
the  depth  and  intense  excitement  of  the  national  indig- 
nation. It  reminded  one  of  the  story  of  a  Scotch  noble- 
man who  drew  long  iron  bars  across  a  deep  mountain 
gorge  to  make  a  harp  for  the  storm.  The  morning  and 
evening  breeze  passed  over  those  gigantic  strings  with  no 
answering  sound.  But  Avhen  the  tempest  swept  down 
from  the  mountains  and  darkened  the  heavens,  then  the 
metallic  chords  vibrated  to  the  mid  strokes  of  the  storm, 
and  filled  all  the  region  with  strange,  wild  music. 

The  nation's  heart  is  not  easily  moved  ;  but  when  that 
terrible  outburst  of  treasonable  passion  reached  it,  the 
loud  and  thrilling  tones  of  patriotism  went  over  the  land, 
ringing  back  upon  the  traitorous  throng  the  death-notes  of 
a  doom  which  has  made  a  graveyard  of  the  South.  We 
will  add  a  strain  or  two  of  the  free  North's  battle  songs  : 

"  The  streets  our  soldier-fathers  trod 
Blushed  with  their  children's  gore ; 
We  saw  the  craven  ruler's  nod, 
And  dip  in  blood  the  civic  rod — 
Shall  such  things  be,  0  righteous  God, 
In  Baltimore  ? 

"  Bow  down,  in  haste,  thy  guilty  head ! 
God's  wrath  is  swift  and  sure  ! 
The  sky  with  gathering  bolts  is  red — 
Cleanse  from  thy  skirts  the  slaughter-red — 
Or  make  thyself  an  ashen  bed — 

Oh!  Baltimore! 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Mitchel  enters  the  Field— Goes  to  Cincinnati— Takes  Care  of  the  City— Eaises 
Yolunteera— Visited  by  the  Secretary  of  "War— Noble  "Words— The  Sad 
Failure— General  Mitchel's  sources  of  Power  over  Men—"  Old  Stars  " — His 
pure  Ambition. 

^HE  summer  spread  its  harvest  glories  over  the 
earth — and  our  national  anniversary  passed  with 
sobered  rejoicing.  Then  the  terrible  battle  of 
Bull  Run,  July  21st,  thrilled  afresh  the  popular 
heart,  when  God  vindicated  his  Sabbath  law  in 
our  defeat,  who  opened  the  engagement. 

In  August  the  successful  bombardment  of  Forts  Hat- 
teras  and  Clark  by  General  Butler  of  the  land  forces,  and 
Commodore  Stringham  of  the  navy,  cheered  om*  despond- 
ency. The  late  summer  season  found  the  professor's  pur- 
pose matured  of  entering  the  arena  of  conflict.  He  had 
read,  and  thought,  and  prayed,  till  the  pure  orbs  above, 
to  his  eye,  were  hidden  behind  the  darkening  war-cloud, 
bidding  him  to  go  where  its  bolts  were  falling  upon  his 
countrymen  in  arms.     He  offered  his  services  to  the  Gov- 


128  LIFE    OF    GEXEKAL    MITCHEL. 

eminent,  feeling,  witli  General  Grant,  that  his  military 
education  at  West  Point  had  created  a  special  claim  to 
them,  and  given  him  the  peculiar  advantage  of  preparation 
for  the  field.  The  commission  of  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers  was  dated  August  9th,  1861. 

This  is  loyalty — preferring  to  suffer  with  the  country 
for  its  redemption,  than  enjoy  in  peaceful  employments 
the  blessings  it  confers.  How  base  and  wicked,  in  con- 
trast, appears  the  disloyalty  of  the  fault-finding  lovers  of 
ease,  and  friends  of  the  oppressor  ! 

By  a  singular,  perhaps  a  designed  coincidence,  the 
general  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the 
Ohio,  with  his  headquarters  at  Cincinnati,  the  theatre 
of  his  first  great  scientific  achievements.  It  was  no  com- 
mon struggle  of  feeling  when  he  turned  from  the  home 
which  was  ever  his  earthly  paradise,  and  the  tower  of 
celestial  observations,  to  the  distant  latitude  of  his  former 
brilliant  career  in*  the  walks  of  science  and  business,  soon 
to  make  the  solitary  tent  and  the  battle-plain  his  abode 
and  circle  of  activity.  The  farewell  words  were  spoken  ; 
the  strong  Christian  heart  beat  tenderly,  but  firmly  ;  and 
away  he  hastened  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  The  world 
did  not  know  the  greatness  of  the  sacrifice  made  by  one 
large  and  loving  heart.  When  Mrs.  Mitchel  gave  him 
up,  she  gave  all,  and  soon  laid  do\^^l  herself  to  die. 

The  professor  returned  to  the  very  shadow  of  his 
Observatory,  to  assume  the  chieftain's  post  of  duty  for 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  129 

the  same  country  of  his  love  and  labors.  How  different 
now  his  employment !  Riding  from  one  side  of  the  city  to 
another,  he  carefully  surveys  all  the  approaches  to  the 
beautiful  town  lying  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  with  the 
green  rich  slopes  of  terraced  hills  behind  it.  There  was 
no  city  in  the  Union  which  he  would  have  so  fondly 
watched  as  this.  It  was  endeared  to  him  by  the  external 
loveliness  of  its  position  and  proportions,  the  rewarded 
toils  of  the  past,  and  the  residences  of  munificent  "  mer- 
chant priQces,"  who  had  generously  aided  him  in  his 
struggles.  Redoubts  went  up  under  his  vigilant  hand, 
and  lines  of  defence  were  laid  out  to  meet  any  raid  of  the 
enemy,  who  threatened  all  the  important  points  within 
striking  distance  of  their  arms.  This  forethought,  and 
the  readiness  to  meet  any  assault,  which  it  secm'ed, 
strengthened  the  mutual  affection  between  1dm  and  the 
intelligent,  appreciative  people  of  the  western  metropolis, 
and  had  much  to  do  with  warding  off  the  blow  which  the 
foe  desired,  but  feared  to  give. 

You  will  recollect  that  a  few  weeks  before  General 
Mitchel  was  ordered  to  the  West,  General  Grant  was 
placed  in  command  of  Cairo  and  the  district  extending 
from  Cape  Gii-ardeau  to  New  Madrid ;  and  that,  find- 
ing the  assumed  and  absurd  as  well  as  wicked  neutrality 
of  Kentucky  broken  by  the  rebel  occupation  of  Co- 
lumbus and  Bowling  Green,  he  sent  a  few  of  the  "boys" 
to'Paducah,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee,  and  also  to 
6* 


130  LIFE    OF   GENERAL   JUOTCHEL. 

Smithland,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cumberland,  blockading 
those  rivers.  Still  it  was  not  certain  which  side  in  the 
civil  war  the  State  would  take.  The  prospect  was  that 
the  secession  frenzy  would  seize  the  majority  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  hurl  it  into  the  chaos  of  revolt. 

It  was  at  this  crisis  that  General  J^Iitchel  looked  over 
the  field  into  which  he  had  entered,  and  resolved  to  make 
an  effort  to  save  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  to  the  Union. 
This  result  was  desirable  on  many  accounts.  One  was  a 
border  State,  naturally  allied  to  the  North ;  and  the  re- 
sources both  furnished  for  the  support  of  our  army,  were 
considerable.  The  attachment  to  slavery  in  the  former 
was  not  so  intense  as  in  the  cotton  States,  and  it  was 
washed  by  the  rivers  of  the  great  West. 

General  Mitchel  therefore  ardently  engaged  in  the  en- 
listment and  organization  of  troops  for  the  Kentucky 
shore.  Could  you  have  seen  him  in  the  "  Queen  City," 
where  he  had  stirred  the  popular  heart  with  his  eloquent 
flights  among  the  stars,  and  toiled  with  brain,  heart,  and 
frame,  to  secure  an  observatory  for  the  benefit  of  the 
people,  and  the  honor  of  the  State  on  whose  soil  it  was 
to  stand,  you  would  have  wondered  at  his  industry  and 
success  in  labors  so  different. 

Now  talking  with  officers,  and  then  with  the  citizens 
who  could  aid  him,  appealing  to  the  patriotism  of  the 
young  men,  and  superintending  the  mustering  of  the  vol- 
unteers, he  was  the  busiest  worker  in  all  the  stirring  city 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL.  131 

and  on  the  Kentucky  border.  Here  they  gathered  on  the 
soil  of  the  undecided  State,  until  the  force  was  large 
enough  to  move  with  hope  of  success.  His  wisdom  and 
comprehensive  oversight,  his  vigor  and  transparent  integ- 
rity, attracted  the  admiration  of  the  intelligent  observers 
about  him,  and  of  the  Government.  General  Mitchel 
then  asked  leave  to  take  them  to  the  field  of  greatest 
promise  for  the  uncertain  prize.  The  prompt,  earnest, 
heroic  man  is  ready  to  confront  the  armies  of  treason. 
His  fine  eye  is  aglow  with  enthusiasm,  and  nothing 
clouds  the  open  intellectual  expression  of  his  face  but  the 
shadow  of  suspense.  One  day,  with  no  messenger  or  tele- 
gram to  announce  his  coming,  the  Secretary  of  War  sud- 
denly appeared  on  the  ground,  to  see  what  this  general 
was  doing.  There  is  excitement  in  the  camp,  and  the 
cheerful  aspect  of  relief  in  the  bearing  of  General 
Mitchel.  Watch  him  walking  or  riding  by  the  Secre- 
tary's side  during  the  hours  of  that  visit,  with  animation 
giving  the  details  of  his  work  and  his  plans,  pure  and  sim- 
ple-hearted as  a  child  in  his  unhesitating  and  modest  com- 
munications. Then,  turning  with  dignified  and  appealing 
earnestness  to  Mr.  Cameron,  he  said :  ''  INIr.  Secretary, 
I  should  not  have  been  able  to  raise  these  troops  and  pre- 
pare them  for  the  field  by  saying,  '  Go  boys.'  But  I  have 
used  the  language,  '  Come,  and  I  vnR  lead  you.'  Now  I 
desire  to  keep  my  promise  to  my  troops.  And  I  solicit 
permission  to  march  at  the  head  of  these  troops  upon 


132  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

Cumberland  Gap,  and  push  througli,  if  possible,  to  Knox- 
ville,  and  liberate  East  Tennessee."  The  privilege  was 
denied  him,  because  the  petty  ambition  of  superior  officers 
created  opposition.  The  country  must  suffer  loss,  and  the 
war  be  prolonged,  rather  than  permit  a  bold  and  gifted 
commander  to  cross  the  lines  of  their  departments.  The 
Government  spared  no  effort  for  conciliation  and  har- 
mony. It  is  fearful  to  think  of  the  sacrifices  of  life,  and 
aggravations  of  the  war  every  way,  by  well-intended,  but 
undeserved  kindness  to  rebels,  and  shameful  indulgence 
of. friends. 

A  few  weeks  later  the  departments  of  the  Ohio  and 
Cumberland  were  united  under  General  Buell.  He  was 
distinguished  for  bravery  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  hith- 
erto had  sustained  the  character  of  a  true  soldier  in  the 
regular  army.  But  he  was  unlike  General  Mitchel  in 
natural  qualities,  early  education,  and  habits.  Though 
born  in  Ohio,  he  was  southern  in  his  sentiments  and  selfish 
in  his  ambition  ;  ready  to  resign  his  place  under  the  flag 
which  had  honored  him,  rather  than  render  unconditional 
loyalty  to  it.  General  Mitchel  was  assigned  a  command 
under  him  in  charge  of  a  camp  of  rendezvous,  with  his 
headquarters  at  Bacon  Creek,  near  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

The  very  bearing  of  General  Mitchel  won  respect  and 
regard.  The  unmistakable  manliness  and  goodness  of 
character,  the  stamp  of  genius  on  his  brow  and  in  his  ex- 
pressive eyey  made  their  impression  upon  the  western 


LIFE   OF   GEI^EAL   MTTCHEL.  133 

**  boys  "  who  gathered  about  him.  And  then  the  entire 
absence  of  tinsel  and  "red  tape"  in  his  official  appear- 
ance, and  the  thoroughly  practical  energy  of  his  earnest 
work  of  preparation  for  service,  awakened  the  enthu- 
siasm of  his  troops.  You  will  not  forget  that,  truly 
in  his  career,  the  child  was  father  of  the  man.  The 
errand  duties,  getting  astride  the  leader  of  the  country- 
men's team,  and  pushing  his  way  to  West  Point,  were 
the  outworking  of  the  same  "sleepless  soul"  that  later 
in  life  built  railroads  and  astronomical  observatories,  and 
has  now  girded  on  the  sword  for  his  native  land. 

There  was  a  still  higher  source  of  power  over  men. 
He  was  a  Christian  hero.  Unselfish  in  his  aims,  he  was 
blameless  in  his  example.  You  have  heard,  it  may  be, 
gay  persons  speak  of  religion  as  a  weakness  ;  a  sad  resort 
of  those  who  are  superstitious  and  afraid  to  die.  How 
pitiful  is  such  blindness  !  Think  of  Washington,  Foote, 
and  Mitchel,  with  a  host  of  gifted  men  living  and  dead. 
It  was  the  sincere  piety  of  the  astronomer  and  com- 
mander that  fused  together  in  a  well  nigh  perfect,  and  a 
lofty  character,  the  native  elements  which  lay  in  the 
heart,  taking  from  them  the  dross  of  selfishness. 

The  soldiers  are  fond  of  pet  names  for  their  officers, 
expressive  of  theii'  estimate  of  the  commanders.  And 
the  professor's  fame  was  established,  while  his  martial 
deeds  were  yet  to  be  won.  Natural  enough,  in  the 
admiration  and  growing  confidence  felt  toward  him,  his 


134  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

brilliant  acMevements  in  celestial  studies,  farnislied  the 
familiar  title.  General  Mitcliell  had  not  long  been  among 
the  troops  before  brave  lips  said  something  about  "  Old 
Stars."  It  went  like  a  fire  in  one  of  the  prairies  not  far 
distant,  among  the  ranks.  "Old  Stars"  was  on  every 
tongue.  He  had  lived  in  thought  and  studj  among  the 
stars,  and  would  soon  show  himself  equally  able  to  gaze 
undazzled  upon  the  stars  of  military  glory,  and  also 
worthy  to  wear  them.  These  were  not  his  aim,  for  he 
was  serving  under  a  King  who  held  over  his  head  a  crown 
of  unfading  stars !  Before  Him,  how  mean  were  the 
honors  of  a  day  ! 


CHAPTER  Xm. 

General  Mitcliel  as  a  Disciplinarian — His  Division  ■unrivalled  in  Drill— Proud 
of  their  Chieftain — Eeady  for  Active  Service — General  Mitchel  desires  to 
lead  them  to  the  Field— Brave  and  Patriotic  Language — JTational  Victories 
General  Mitchel  breaks  up  Camp— Fine  Spectacle — Splendid  Marching. 

^HE  battalions  under  the  discipline  of  General 
Mitchel  were  called  the  Third  Division  of  the 
Army  of  Ohio.  His  headquarters  were  at 
Bacon  Creek,  Kentucky.  The  genius  of  the 
conunander  was  devoted  to  the  thorough  train- 
ing of  the  troops  for  military  duty.  There  was  nothing 
done  for  show  simply,  but  all  for  the  attainment  of  the 
highest  degree  of  martial  culture  for  the  field.  The  men 
caught  the  enthusiasm  of  their"  leader.  They  saw  the 
lofty  motive,  and  aimed  at  the  ideal  before  his  compre- 
hensive mind. 

He  had  learned  to  do  well  whatever  he  deemed 
worthy  of  his  attention ;  to  make  the  most  of  himself 
and  his  opportunities.  His  thoroughness  and  mastery 
of  tactics  moulded  the  troops  into  a  united,  solid  body, 


136  LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

wielded  by  his  single  will.  The  proud  and  heroic  ranks 
have  been  compared  to  the  Old  Guard  of  Napoleon.  And 
perhaps  nowhere  in  the  army  was  there  a  finer  example 
of  perfect  and  merited  command.  It  was  like  the  hand 
of  a  skilful  engineer  on  a  finished  locomotive ;  moving 
to  the  slightest  motion  of  the  hand,  with  no  fi'iction  or  jar 
in  its  movements.  The  difference  was  great,  however,  in 
this :  it  was  the  supremacy  of  a  splendid  mind  over  ad- 
miring and  loving  hearts. 

Could  you  have  walked  through  the  camp,  or  met 
miles  from  it  a  soldier  of  that  gallant  host,  and  inquired 
of  him  where  he  belonged,  he  would  immediately  have 
answered,  "  I  belong  to  the  Third  Division."  It  was 
honor  enough  to  be  under  the  command  of  "  Old  Stars." 
All  inferior  authority,  however  cheerfully  obeyed,  was 
forgotten  under  the  sway  of  a  master  genius,  regulated  by 
a  large  and  benevolent  heart.  The  chief  and  his  trained 
legions  were  ready  and  impatient  for  the  smoke  of  battle. 
The  camp  could  do  no  more  for  them,  excepting  to  weaken 
their  manly  strength,  at  its  highest  point  of  preparation 
for  the  red  field  on  which  they  desired  to  test  it. 

Did  you  ever  see  the  encampment  of  an  army  ?  K 
not,  you  cannot  get  a  perfectly  correct  idea  of  it  by  pic- 
tures or  description.  But  I  will  take  you  to  that  of  the 
Potomac  Army  as  I  saw  it  in  the  winter  of  1863  and  '64. 
Get  with  me  into  the  cars  at  Washington  and  cross  the 
Long  Bridge   over    the    Potomac,   across   which    have 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   IVHTCHEL.  137 

marclied  our  volunteers  by  thousands.  At  Alexandria 
you  begin  to  see  the  war.  Right  by  the  track  we  read  in 
large  letters  on  one  side,  "  Soldier's  Retreat ; "  on  the 
other  we  see,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  the  rows  of  sol- 
diers* graves.  Then  for  about  sixty  miles  we  ride  in  the 
"  U.  S."  train,  for  no  others  pass  over  the  road,  through 
a  desert,  though  on  the  "  sacred  soil"  of  Virginia.  Fences 
are  gone,  buildings  burned,  and  the  blackened  chimneys 
standing — graves,  dead  horses,  and  mules,  and  regiments 
of  soldiers  with  their  camps,  to  guard  the  road,  arrest  the 
eye  ;  and  over  all,  myriads  of  crows  make  up  the  scene,  till 
we  get  to  "  Brandy  Station,"  a  few  miles  from  rebel  pick- 
ets. Soldiers  line  the  platform  as  we  get  out.  Near  by  is 
a  building,  and  around  it  a  gi'oup  of  tents.  One  of  them  is 
the  office  of  the  Christian  Commission,  the  grandest  en- 
terprise that  ever  softened  the  savage  aspect  of  war,  and 
cared  for  body  and  soul  with  motherly  tenderness  and 
watchfulness.  We  start,  satchel  in  hand,  for  the  head- 
quarters of  the  army,  a  mile  away  over  the  hill,  which  is 
scarred  with  wheels  and  hoofs,  and  barren  as  the  ocean 
beach. 

The  first  man  that  passes  us  is  a  chaplain  on  horse- 
back, with  a  polite  salutation.  The  next  is  an  aged  negro, 
who  inquires,  "  Do  you  think  the  soldiers  will  get  sixteen 
miles  below  ?  I  have  a  wife  there  in  slavery."  We  tell 
him  yes,  and  pass  on.  The  first  tent,  as  we  approach  the 
pines  over  the  crest  of  the  hill,  is  that  of  a  daguerrean. 


138  LIFE   OF   GE2y^EEAX   MITCHEL. 

Then  we  come  to  a  semicircular  row  and  groups  of  tents 
half  a  mile  at  least  in  extent.  The  hamlet  nearest,  as  we 
advance,  is  the  provost-marshal-general's  department. 
There  is  his  tent,  at  the  end  of  a  lane  cut  through  the 
pine  trees,  and  fenced  in  with  boughs ;  and  on  the  left 
are  the  tents  of  his  staff  in  a  row.  Let  us  knock  at  Gen- 
eral M.  R.  Patrick's  tent.  "  Come  in  ! "  rings  out  from 
the  lips  of  the  hero  of  Mexico  and  Florida,  the  patriot 
and  Christian,  who  can  give  a  splendid  lecture  on  Hebrew 
poetry,  or  attend  to  the  details  of  his  immense  department, 
with  its  post  office  for  two  hundred  thousand  men,  prison 
for  rebels,  hospital,  &c. 

We  pass  on  to  General  Meade's  headquarters,  about 
midway  in  the  curved  line  of  tents.  He  is  absent ;  but 
there  sits  the  gallant,  lion-hearted  Sedgwick.  "We  look 
upon  his  pleasant  face  and  hear  him  speculate  upon 
the  war,  but  do  not  know  that  in  a  few  weeks  a  sharp- 
shooter's bullet  will  pierce  his  noble  face.  Apart  and 
back  of  this  centre  of  command  lie  the  batteries,  dark 
and  silent,  and  apparently  all  harmless. 

In  another  direction  are  the  supply  wagons,  the 
*' field"  for  the  horses,  and  other  appliances  for  army 
support  and  movements.  Sentinels  keep  their  round  day 
and  night.  The  drum  beats  reveille  at  night,  and  the 
bugle  sounds  sweetly  on  the  morning  and  evening  air. 

Two,  four,  six  miles,  in  different  directions,  are  similar 
encampments,  subordinate,  like  planets  to  the  sun,  to  this. 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  139 

Such  is  the  outline  of  life  during  the  intervals  of 
active  field  service.  And  when  the  order  flies  along  the 
telegraph  wires  connecting  the  headquarters  of  tlie  major- 
generals,  to  prepare  to  advance,  what  a  magnificent  sight 
it  is,  as  from  one  to  two  hundi*ed  thousand  soldiers  strike 
their  tents,  and  in  lines  of  cavalry  and  columns  of  infantry 
sweep  over  the  country  ! 

This  reminds  me  of  another  part  of  army  movements, 
which  you  may  not  have  even  seen  or  noticed  at  all ; 
I  mean  the  Signal  Corps.  Do  you  ask  what  it  does? 
Then  I  will  here  answer  the  inquiry : 

"  Probably  no  class  of  men  employed  in  the  army  are 
more  useful  than  those  engaged  in  the  duty  of  sending 
army  despatches  from  one  point  to  another,  by  means  of 
signal  flags.  These  flags  are  of  different  colors — white, 
black,  or  red,  to  suit  different  circumstances.  They  are 
either  four  feet  or  six  feet  square,  fastened  to  jointed 
poles,  the  length  of  which  can  be  increased  or  diminished 
as  required.  The  officers  in  charge  of  a  station  are  fur- 
nished with  field  glasses  and  powerful  telescopes,  by 
means  of  which  they  can  read  the  signals  from  twelve  to 
eighteen,  or  twenty  miles  distant.  For  night  work  torches 
are  used.  The  operation  of  transmitting  signals  is  per- 
formed in  this  manner  :  The  message  is  sent  to  the  signal 
station,  which  is  generally  located  in  the  highest  tree, 
upon  the  loftiest  mountain  or  hill  top.  The  officer  in 
cha'rge  arranges  his  '  key '  upon  a  circular  pasteboard  in- 


14:0  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

strument,  marked  with  numerals.  When  all  is  ready,  bj 
the  im'ning  of  this  disc  the  proper  numbers  appear  and 
are  called  off  to  the  flagman.  This  flagman,  on  hearing 
the  number,  immediately  places  the  flag  in  the  position 
indicated.  Thus,  waving  the  flag  according  to  a  number 
requiring  it  to  move  from  right  to  left,  will  mean  a  cer- 
tain word.  The  flag  is  then  straightened  up,  and  another 
number  called,  which  may  raise  the  flag  above  the  bear- 
er's head,  or  drop  it  toward  the  ground.  Again,  some 
number  called  out,  causes  the  flagman  to  make  a  motion 
with  the  flag  that  conveys  a  whole  sentence  of  information 
to  a  distant  station  where  another  signal  ofiicer  has  been 
reading  off,  through  his  telescope,  the  numbers  previously 
sent.  The  reader  of  the  '  despatch '  sits  looking  through 
his  glass,  calling  off  the  numbers  to  his  assistant,  who 
notes  them  down  upon  the  '  field-book.'  When  the  entire 
message  has  been  received  the  numbers  are  transmitted 
to  the  next  station,  and  so  on  until  it  reaches  the  general 
to  whom  it  is  sent.  The  whole  time  occupied  in  sending 
a  despatch  of  thirty  lines  is  generally  les-s  than  as  many 
minutes.  The  flagman,  by  constant  practice,  works  rap- 
idly, and  the  reader  calls  the  numbers  with  equal  speed  ; 
and  where  there  are  two  or  more  officers,  or  flagmen,  at 
a  station,  the  message  is  passed  on  to  the  next  as  fast  as 
it  is  received.  When  the  numbers  reach  the  last  station, 
the  ^key'  signal  is  sent  over,  and  being  properly  adjusted, 
the  officer  at  the  receiving  station  can  then  write  out  for, 


LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   IVIITCHEL.  141 

or  read  the  message  to,  his  commanding  general.  These 
'  keys'  are  constantly  changed.  A  combination  of  '  keys* 
is  arranged  between  two  commanding  generals  in  a  man- 
ner that  insures  their  despatches  against  any  chance  of 
being  read  by  even  the  officers  making  the  signal,  and  of 
course,  if  the  rebels  saw  them,  they  would  be  unable  to 
decipher  them.  For  instance,  General  Sherman  has  ar- 
ranged with  General  Howard  that  the  'key'  to  his  de- 
spatches shall  be  sent  under  cover  of  a  particular  word. 
Accordingly,  when  that  word  is  received,  General  Howard 
has  the  'key'  that  unlocks  the  remainder  of  the  dispatch. 
On  Monday  morning  General  Sherman  may  make  use  of 
a  '  key'  that  he  discards  in  the  afternoon.  The  afternoon 
'  key '  is  kno^vn  to  General  Howard  by  the  '  word '  that 
accompanies  the  message.  If  General  Sherman  desires 
to  '  speak  with'  General  Logan,  who  may  be  stationed 
miles  away,  liis  arrangement  of  '  key  words '  may  be  to- 
tally different  from  those  used  in  communicating^  with 
Howard.  Signal  officers,  by  long  practice,  are  often  able 
to  abbreviate  messages,  especially  when  they  know  that 
the  station  beyond  is  commanded  by  an  officer  familiar 
with  the  abbreviations.  A  bystander  looking  on,  when  a 
message  is  being  sent,  will  see  the  flags  in  the  hands  of 
the  man  near  him  waving  rapidly,  and  strain  his  eyes  in 
every  direction  to  see  where  the  persons  are  who  are 
taking  '  notes.'  He  will  see  no  one,  unless  favored  by  a 
sight  through  the  telescope  at  the  station.     The  great 


142  LIFE    OF    GENEKAL   MTTCHEL. 

merit  of  this  system  of  signalling  consists  in  the  secrecy 
with  which  messages  may  be  sent,  and  answers  retm-ned, 
although  it  is  equally  advantageous  in  an  engagement, 
when  secret  messages  are  not  required,  and  orders  are 
rapidly  conveyed  from  one  part  of  the  field  to  another. 
It  is  at  this  time  that  the  signal  officers  and  men  are  in 
the  greatest  danger.  The  rebels  have  an  offensive  way 
of  intercepting  despatches,  with  Minie  bullets,  sent  by  the 
rifle  of  some  sharpshooter,  detailed  to  pick  off  the  flagmen 
and  others  engaged  at  the  signal  station." 

No  order  to  take  the  field  came  to  the  gallantly 
impatient  leader  and  his  restless  troops.  He  could 
no  longer  wait.  Approaching  his  superior  in  com- 
mand. General  Buell,  he  addressed  him  in  these  brave 
words  : 

"  General,  we  must  now  either  be  permitted  to  go  into 
the  field  and  meet  the  foe,  or  we  must  degenerate  and  go 
backwards.  It  is  utterly  impossible  for  me  to  carry  my 
division  any  further  in  my  drill  of  discipline.  The  men 
have  learned  every  thing  they  can  learn,  and  from  this 
moment  we  must  commence  to  decline  unless  we  are  sent 
into  actual  service." 

General  Buell  made  but  little  reply,  only  intimating  a 
grand  movement  soon.  The  rebel  force  was  strong  at 
Bowling  Green. 

General  Grant  had  moved  upon  Forts  Donelson  and 
Henry,  and  planted  the  national  banners  on  their  waUs. 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  143 

General  B.  F.  Butler,  the  wisest,  boldest,  and  most 
successful  commander  then  in  the  field,  with  Commodore 
Farragut,  called  the  "  Old  Salamander,"  with  his  naval 
force,  were  preparing  to  advance  on  New  Orleans.  Ship 
Island,  a  narrow  strip  of  sandy  land  several  miles 
in  length,  and  a  few  hours'  sail  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  was  to  be  the  place  of  rendezvous  and 
starting. 

General  Grant  was  on  his  \Yaj  to  Nashville,  followed 
by  the  victorious  flotilla. 

General  BueU  decided  to  make  an  expedition  from 
his  department  toward  Bowling  Green  at  that  time,  the 
strongest  point  in  the  enemy's  western  army  movements. 
You  wiU  recollect  it  was  one  of  the  first  places  fortified 
when  the  rebels  invaded  neutral  Kentucky.  General 
Mitchel  intensely  desired  to  try  the  metal  of  his  "  boys" 
in  the  seizure  of  a  prize  worthy  of  their  arms.  He  asked 
the  privilege  of  striking  boldly  then.  A  vdde-awake  and 
far-seeing  chieftain,  he  also  "  kept  his  own  counsels." 

Monday,  February  10th — for  the  general  avoided 
working,  when  possible,  on  the  Sabbath — he  issued  in 
the  evening,  the  order  to  his  troops  to  be  ready  for  march- 
ing the  next  morning  at  six  o'clock.  That  night  was  a 
busy  one  in  camp.  See  the  tents  come  down,  the  knap- 
sacks packed,  the  horses  caparisoned,  and  the  thousands 
of  impatient  volunteers  waiting  the  command  to  march  in 
the  'first  beams  of  morning. 


144  LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

"  Forward  !  "  and  Bacou  Creek,  Kentucky,  received 
the  farewell  look  of  the  departing  troops,  whose  canvas 
city  had  disappeared  like  frostwork  in  the  rising  sun. 
They  swept  along  toward  Green  River,  giving  no  inti- 
mations of  approach.  The  clear  eye  that  traced  the 
paths  of  the  nightly  host  with  unrivalled  accuracy,  sur- 
veyed carefully  the  whole  field  before  him. 

There  can  be  no  more  gallantly  patriotic  and  sublime 
spectacle  in  the  field  of  martial  exploits  than  the  progress 
of  General  Mitchel  from  Bacon  Creek  to  Bowling  Green. 
Scouts,  that  is,  horsemen  to  discover  danger  or  search 
for  the  enemy,  were  sent  forward  toward  the  town.  Si- 
lence reigned  in  forest  and  field.  'No  sign  of  alarm  ap- 
peared. How  unlike  the  campaigns  in  the  army  gen- 
erally !  Somehow,  the  rebels  have  learned  when  and 
where  our  troops  were  in  motion,  and  have  been  pre- 
pared to  meet  them.  In  one  instance  a  large  and  splen- 
did host  were  marching  in  several  divisions  on  a  secret 
expedition  to  surprise  "  the  flower  of  the  rebel  army." 
A  prominent  general  was  to  leave  a  certain  point  at  half- 
past  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  another  pass  that 
place  at  nine  o'clock.  When  the  latter  arrived,  the  other, 
who  should  have  been  an  hour  and  a  half  on  the  march,  ^ 
was  just  eating  his  breakfast.  Whether,  as  many  be- 
lieve, he  was  made  stupid  by  strong  drink  the  night 
before,  or  not,  it  deranged  the  whole  plan  of  the  attack, 
and  gave  the  enemy  all  the  notice  he  desired  of  the  hostile 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  145 

visit.  Of  course  with  the  slaughter  and  wounding  of 
many  brave  fellows,  the  well-planned  and  hopeful  enter- 
prise failed. 

Not  so  with  the  Third  Division.  Prayerful,  sober, 
far-seeing  and  vigilant,  the  general  stole  upon  the  foe 
along  a  track  of  forced  marches,  like  the  Angel  of  Death 
upon  the  camp  of  Senacherib.  The  cavalcade  dashed 
onward  ten  miles ;  and  being  tired,  because  they  had 
been  so  long  idle,  and  also  then  delayed  by  repairing  a 
bridge,  they  halted  a  mile  beyond  Green  River.  Their 
place  of  rendezvous  was  called  Camp  Madison.  Here 
they  rested  on  Wednesday.  At  night  the  picket-guard 
were  out,  and  the  order  issued  to  be  off  again  at  four 
o'clock  the  next  morning. 

With  scarcely  a  streak  of  day  upon  the  eastern  sky, 
the  refreshed  and  cheerful  troops  move  rapidly  toward 
Bowling  Green,  forty-two  miles  distant.  As  the  light 
deepens,  they  discern  in  the  ponds  scattered  over  the 
country  heaps  of  dead  cattle,  mules,  and  horses,  thrown 
into  them  by  the  foe,  for  the  Upas  shadow  of  war  has 
been  there.  There  are  no  signs  of  human  life.  Pause 
under  that  tree  by  the  deserted  home.  Hearken  amid  the 
stillness  whose  music  is  the  sound  of  flowing  streams,  and 
the  noise  of  insects  in  the  air.  What  a  thunder  of  hoofs 
and  heavy  tramp  of  armed  men  breaks  on  the  ear  !  Nearer 
and  nearer  the  strange  echoes  rise.  Another  moment  and 
7 


146  LLFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

the  long  procession  rushes  past  with  banners,  and  gleam- 
ing steel,  and  grim-mouthed  cannon. 

The  morning  kindles  on  -^the  hills,  and  onward  sweep 
the  battalions  over  plain,  through  forest,  and  across  cur- 
rents which  catch  the  spreading  light  brightly,  as  though 
no  tumult  of  war  had  hushed  the  hum  of  the  little  dwellers 
in  the  branches  on  the  banks.  Tramp,  clatter,  rumble, 
go  troops,  feet,  and  wheels,  toward  Bowling  Green,  with 
a  secrecy  and  celerity  unsurpassed,  if  ever  equalled. 

The  secession  stragglers  who  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
hurrying  caravan  of  war's  legions,  fly  from  the  path  of 
their  march.  Jokes  and  laughter  enliven  the  long  hours 
of  the  advance  toward  the  unsuspecting  enemy.  Many 
think  soberly,  and  some  sadly,  of  home,  the  anxious  hearts 
there,  and  the  possibility  of  sudden  death  and  a  burial 
among  strangers.  Bravely,  and  with  elastic  step,  the 
troops  follow  a  leader  who  has  won  affectionate  con- 
fidence unrivalled  in  the  army. 

"  Halt ! "  "What  is  it  that  brings  the  battalions  to  a 
sudden  pause  in  the  forest  path  ?  Like  an  abatis  before 
a  fortress,  lie  the  fallen  trees  across  the  way,  heaped  there 
by  the  enemy.  Almost  before  the  word  of  command  can 
reach  them,  the  two  companies  of  engineers  and  mechan- 
ics advance.  How  bravely  the  axes  swing  !  The  imple- 
ments for  "  casting  up  a  highway  "  move  with  the  rapidity 
of  sabre-strokes,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  the  formidable 
obstruction  is  brushed  aside,  and  "  forward ! "  rings  on 


LITE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  147 

the  air  just  now  echoing  to  the  hundred  blows  or  more, 
of  manly  arms.  No  groans  of  the  dying,  no  shouts  of 
conquest  mingle  in  the  bloodless  strife.  Nature  "  makes 
no  sign"  of  suffering  when  the  glittering  steel  falls  upon 
the  subjects  of  her  domain. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Bowling  Green — Forced  Marches — The  first  Gun— Crossing  the  Eiver — Con- 
sternation and  flight  of  the  Eebels — Scenes  in  the  City — Despatches — Visit 
from  General  Buell — Nashville  Occupied — Scenes  there— General  Mitchel 
calls  on  Mrs.  James  K.  Polk. 


\OWLrN'G  Green  is  on  Barren  River,  a  branch 
of  the  Green  River.  General  Mitchel  heard 
that  the  bridge  over  it  leading  to  the  town  was 
destroyed,  and  that  the  rebels  would  meet  them 
on  this  side  of  the  stream.  To  be  ready  for 
them.  Colonel  Tm*chin  takes  the  cavahy  and  Loomis'  bat- 
tery, and  dashes  off  at  a  rapid  pace.  It  is  a  fine  sight. 
Did  you  ever  behold  a  similar  spectacle?  I  shall  not 
soon  forget  the  contrast  between  peaceful  parades  on  the 
park  or  green,  and  these  scenes  on  "the  front" — ^the 
bugle  notes  that  mean  sober  worJc,  the  prancing  steeds, 
the  long  and  wa^dng  lines  of  soldiers,  the  plumes  and 
banners,  the  cannon  with  their  carriages  and  caissons, 
and  all  moving  over  fenceless  fields,  scarred  and  scathed 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCH  EL.  149 

with  the  tread  of  war,  toward  the  plain  of  slaughter. 
Such  was  the  scene  between  Glasgow  Junction,  near 
which  the  last  halt  was  made,  and  Bowling  Green,  on 
the  morning  of  February  13th,  about  the  hour  my  reader 
was  entering  the  quiet  school-room,  or  college  hall.  The 
columns  that  press  on  behind  hear,  about  ten  o'clock,  the 
booming  of  the  artillery  echoing  from  the  banks  of  Bar- 
ren River. 

Oh !  how  the  heroes  start. — eyes  flash — and  a  general 
movement  is  idsible.  The  steps  are  quickened,  but  the 
knapsacks  in  the  forced  march  of  forty-two  miles  in 
thirty-seven  hours,  have  gro\\'Ti  heavy.  A  new  idea  is  sug- 
gested by  the  burdens.  There  comes  a  secession  wagon. 
"  Stop  there,  driver  !  Just  take  these  knapsacks  along." 
In  a  minute,  imder  guard,  the  "  team"  drags  the  Yankee 
freight  toward  Bowling  Green. 

A  few  miles  further  another  teamster  is  hailed ;  the 
tired  troops  are  relieved,  and  almost  run  for  the  goal  of 
conflict.  The  advance  find  no  foe  in  battle  array,  and  no 
bridge  across  the  deep,  broad  current.  Colonel  Turchin 
sends  a  signal  shell  over  it  into  the  town.  What  a  sud- 
den excitement  among  the  soldiers  and  citizens  !  Three 
regiments  "  are  seen  scampering  to  the  cars,  and  putting 
oflT  with  what  they  had."  The  Texas  Rangers  start, 
torches  in  hand,  for  the  public  buildings.  It  is  sad  to 
watch  the  flames  curling,  in  magnificent  waves  of  ruin, 
over  the  beauty  and  pride  of  the  town. 


150  LIFE    OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

The  victories  of  General  G-rant  and  Commodore 
Foote,  and  the  progress  of  the  dreaded  gunboats  up  the 
Cumberland  River,  had  awakened  apprehensions  before 
the  messenger  of  death  startled  the  traitors.  They 
were  getting  ready  to  leave. 

Look  along  the  railroad  toward  Nashville,  and  you 
wiU  see  immense  trains  of  loaded  cars.  The  rebels  are 
moving  to  that  city.  Not  dreaming  of  danger  from  any 
quarter  besides  the  base  of  General  Grant's  operations, 
they  "  packed  up  ;  "  and  perceiving  no  necessity  of  great 
haste,  they  had  been  waiting  unconsciously  for  General 
Mitchel.  That  shell  over  the  coldly  flowing  river  is  L'ke 
a  note  of  doom  from  the  clear  heavens. 

Another,  and  then  another  globe  of  imprisoned  fire, 
makes  its  graceful  curve  above  the  dividing  stream. 
What  "  hurrying  to  and  fro,"  and  cries  of  terror  ! 

"  Shall  we  set  fire  to  the  trains?" 

"  Yes,"  shouts  an  officer. 

"  No  !  the  Yankees  are  too  near  for  that." 

And  through  the  streets  soldiers  and  citizens  rush  in 
the  gloom  of  the  night,  whose  stars  are  reflected  from  the 
surging  waters.  The  snow  had  whitened  the  earth,  and  the 
cold  wind  sweeps  around  the  shivering  volunteers.  Fires 
soon  blaze  on  the  river  bank,  and  near  them  some  almost 
benumbed  declare  they  "would  rather  be  shot  than  fro- 
zen." They  lie  down  "  snugly  tucked  in  their  blankets," 
to  snatch  a  brief  slumber.     Scarcely  are  they  asleep  before 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL.  151 

"  the  assembly  beats  to  arms,  and  the  brigade  is  again 
in  ranks." 

Upon  them  falls  yet  no  herald-rays  of  the  morning. 
It  is  gloomy  and  chilling.  The  engineer  companies  have 
repaired  an  old  wherry  or  kind  of  flatboat,  running  a 
rope  across  the  dismal  flood  of  Barren  River.  Quickly 
as  the  spider  builds  her  nightly  suspension  bridges,  had 
the  army  athletes  spanned  the  bridgeless  stream,  and 
now  the  brigades  begin  by  small  detachments  to  cross 
over. 

Mournful  spectacle  is  that  which  meets  the  vision  in 
the  dawn  of  day  !  Mansions  are  in  ruins — relics  of  flight 
strew  the  forsaken  streets.  Comic  scenes,  too,  are  there. 
A  poor  sutler  had  run  away  in  such  haste  that  all  his 
good  things  for  army  speculation  were  left  for  our  hungry 
"  boys."  They  do  not  wait  for  a  spread  table  or  knives 
and  forks.  They  snatch  the  eatables,  and  are  on  the 
march  again.  Then  they  enter  the  ruins  of  a  storehouse 
of  arms  which  the  rebels  had  burned.  And  such  a  med- 
ley of  weapons  !  Old  musket  and  pistol  barrels,  bowie 
knives,  "  hangers,"  savage  blades,  butcher  knives,  and 
every  imaginable  tool  for  murdering  and  mangling  men 
are  there.  But  much  plunder  is  saved.  Half  a  million 
of  dollars  is  an  unexaggerated  estimate  of  its  value  to  the 
Union  cause.  We  give  you  the  despatches  to  the  general- 
in-chief,  McClellan,  and  the  congratulations  on  the  vic- 
tories : 


162  LIFE    OF    GEXEEAX   MTTCHEL. 

Louisville,  February  15,  1862. 
To  Major- General  McGlellan  : 

Mitch eFs  division,  by  a  forced  march,  reached  the 
river  at  Bowling  Green  to-day,  making  a  bridge  to  cross. 
The  enemy  burned  the  bridge  at  one  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  were  evacuating  the  place  when  he  arrived. 

D.    C.    BUELL, 

Brigadier- General  Gommanding. 

The  following  is  a  general  order,  issued  by  General 
Buell  to  the  troops  of  General  Mitchel's  division,  after 
their  advance  upon  Bowling  Green : 

Headquarters,  Third  Division,  Camp  John  Q.  Adams,  ) 
Bowling  Green,  February  19,  1862.        \ 

Soldiers  of  the  Thihd  Division  :  You  have  exe- 
cuted a  march  of  forty  miles  in  twenty-eight  hours  and  a 
half.  The  fallen  timber  and  other  obstructions,  opposed 
by  the  enemy  to  your  movements,  have  been  swept  from 
your  path.  The  fire  of  your  artillery,  and  the  bursting 
of  your  shells,  announced  your  arrival.  Surprised  and 
ignorant  of  the  force  that  had  thus  precipitated  itself  upon 
them,  they  fled  in  consternation. 

In  the  night  time,  over  a  frozen,  rocky,  precipitous 
pathway,  down  rude  steps  for  fifty  feet,  you  have  passed 
the  advance  guard,  cavaby  and  infantry,  and  before  the 
dawn  of  day  you  have  entered  in  triumph  a  position  of 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  153 

extraordinary  natural  strength,  and  by  your  enemy  proud- 
ly denominated  the  Gibraltar  of  Kentucky. 

With  your  own  hands,  through  deep  mud,  in  drench- 
ing rains,  and  up  rocky  pathways,  next  to  impassable, 
and  across  a  footpath  of  your  own  construction,  built 
upon  the  ruins  of  the  railway  bridge  destroyed  for  their 
protection  by  a  retreating  and  panic-stricken  foe,  you 
have  transported  upon  your  own  shoulders  your  baggage 
and  camp  equipage. 

The  general  commanding  the  department,  on  receiving 
my  report  announcing  these  facts,  requests  me  to  make  to 
the  officers  and  soldiers  under  my  command,  the  follow- 
ing communication : 

"  Soldiers  who  by  resolution  and  energy  overcome 
great  natural  difficulties,  have  nothing  to  fear  in  battle, 
where  their  energy  and  prowess  are  taxed  to  a  far  less 
extent.  Your  command  have  exhibited  the  high  qualities 
of  resolution  and  energy,  in  a  degree  which  leaves  no 
limit  to  my  confidence  in  their  future  movements. 

"  By  order  of  Brigadier-General  Buell, 

"  Commanding  Department  of  the  Ohio,'''' 

Soldiers !  I  feel  a  perfect  confidence  that  the  high 
estimate  placed  upon  your  power,  endurance,  energy, 
and  heroism,  is  just.  Your  aim  and  mine  has  been  to 
deserve  the  approbation  of  our  commanding  officer,  and 
of  our  Government  and  our  country. 


154  LITE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

I  trust  you  feel  precisely  as  does  your  commanding 
general,  that  nothing  is  done  while  any  thing  remains  to  be 
done.      By  order  of 

Brig.-Gen'l  O.  M.  Mitchel,  Commanding. 

Bowling  Green  was  occupied,  and  nothing  saved  the 
rebel  army  which  fled  from  it  but  the  necessity  which 
General  Mitchel  felt  of  making  sure  his  communications. 
Otherwise  he  might  be  surprised,  his  retreat  cut  off,  and 
his  command  taken  prisoners,  or  at  best,  badly  '^  cut  up." 

Ferry-boats  were  constructed,  and  %  such  defences 
planned  as  promised  the  greatest  possible  security  to  the 
troops,  and  success  to  the  bold  expedition. 

In  the  midst  of  these  labors,  his  unselfish  heart  throb- 
bing with  love  to  the  land  of  his  birth,  and  the  high  am- 
bition to  hasten  its  deliverance  from  mad  misrule.  General 
Buell  suddenly  appeared  in  camp.  His  less  ardent  and 
less  comprehensive  mind  was  disturbed  by  General  Mitch- 
el's  daring  movements. 

General  Mitchel  encounters  here  a  new  trial  of  his 
noble  nature.  It  will  be  among  the  saddest  records  of 
the  war,  that  ofiicers  like  General  Don  Carlos  Buell  al- 
lowed political  or  military  aspirations,  or  half-hearted 
loyalty,  or,  at  best,  great  blunders,  to  sacrifice  thousands 
of  lives,  and  imperil,  more  than  all  other  dangers,  our 
national  honor  and  existence.  General  Mitchel  spread 
out  his  plans. 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCH  EL.  155 

"  We  must  move  cautiously  ;  do  notliing  to  exasperate 
our  Southern  brethren;"  seemed  to  be  the  settled  policy  of 
the  chief  of  the  Cumberland  army. 

"  We  must  move  rapidly,  strike  boldly,  and  follow  up 
every  advantage  to  subdue  the  traitors,"  was  the  tone  of 
each  word  added  by  the  commander  of  the  Third  Division. 

The  result  of  the  discussion  was,  permission  under 
certain  conditions  for  General  Mitchel  to  go  forward 
with  his  campaign.  He  was  a  free  man  dragging  a  chain. 
The  weight  was  a  hindrance,  and  it  might  be  made  fast  at 
any  moment ;  the  finishing  blow  of  a  selfish  policy,  which 
at  length  came.  The  locomotives  which  stood  puffing  on 
the  track  when  the  shell  crossed  the  river,  drew  the  Union 
forces  toward  Nashville. 

It  is  Sunday  evening.  War  does  not  respect  the  holy 
hours  of  the  Lord's  day.  There  had  been  no  signs  of  its 
advent  in  that  excited  town.  Armed  men,  citizens  in 
groups,  or  hurrying  through  its  streets,  and  scornful  wo- 
men on  balconies  and  in  the  doors  of  the  mansions,  are 
the  scenes  of  February  23d,  1862. 

The  city  authorities  gather  to  the  appointed  spot  of 
meeting  the  commander  of  the  Union  troops  and  his  staff. 
Colonel  Kennett  has  been  selected  to  receive,  in  behalf  of 
General  Mitchel,  the  possession  of  the  town.  It  was  a 
bitter  necessity  to  many ;  a  most  welcome  transition  to 
others  who  had  not  ceased  to  love  the  old  flag. 
'   Nashville  deserves  a  brief  description,  which  will  in- 


156  LIFE    or   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

terest  you.  It  is  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Cumberland, 
two  hundred  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  six  hundred  and 
eighty-four  from  Washington.  The  capitol  stands  on  an 
elevation  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet  above  the  river, 
commanding  a  glorious  landscape.  It  is  built  of  lime- 
stone, costing  a  milHon  of  dollars,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
magnificent  structures  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  The 
private  residences  are  elegant,  many  of  them  palatial — 
rich  in  material,  surroundings,  and  furniture.  A  suspen- 
sion bridge  spans  the  stream  there.  The  city  is  the  ter- 
minus of  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  Railroad. 

General  Mitchel  called,  in  company  with  other  officers, 
upon  the  widow  of  President  James  K.  Polk,  as  did  Gen- 
eral Grant  while  there.  During  the  interview,  the  dig- 
nified lady,  addressing  him,  said  :  "  General,  I  trust  this 
war  will  speedily  terminate  by  the  acknowledgment  of 
Southern  independence." 

This  direct  appeal  to  his  loyalty  turned  all  eyes  to 
him.     The  silence  which  followed  was  brief.     Calmly  - 
and  firmly  he  spoke  from  the  fulness  of  his  earnest  heart, 
with  equal  dignity,  and  great  impressiveness  : 

"  Madam,  the  man  whose  name  you  bear  was  once 
President  of  the  United  States.  He  was  an  honest  man 
and  true  patriot.  He  administered  the  laws  of  this  Gov- 
ernment with  equal  justice  to  all.  We  know  of  no  inde- 
pendence of  one  section  of  our  country  which  does  not 
belong  to  all  others  ;  and  judging  by  the  past,  if  the  mute 


LEFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL.  157 

lips  of  tlie  honored  dead  who  lies  near  us  could  speak, 
they  would  express  the  hope  that  the  war  might  never 
cease,  if  that  cessation  were  purchased  by  a  dissolution 
of  the  union  of  the  States  over  which  he  once  presided." 
The  fair  traitor  was  silenced,  and  loyal  hearts  deeply 
moved. 


CHAPTER  XY. 

General  Mitch  el's  plan  of  Campaign— Its  Sublime  Daring— Moves  to  Murfrees- 
boro' — Scenes  near  Corinth — Eebel  Contempt  of  the  Flag  of  Truce — 
Eebel  "Woman's  Letter— General  MitchePs  Justice  and  Humanity — Guer- 
rillas— Suifering  Union  Men — A  Tight— The  value  of  Seconds. 

,  ND  now  we  come  to  the  first  great  opportunity  to 
show  the  splendid  qualities  of  our  hero  in  daring 
and  difficult  military  movements,  the  very  mar- 
tial ability  peculiar  to  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 
You  will  find  on  the  map,  a  little  southeast  of 
Nashville,  and  one  hundred  and  sixteen  miles  from  it, 
Huntsville,  Alabama.  It  is  a  handsomely-situated  town. 
The  capital  of  Madison  County,  it  has  a  finely-built  court- 
house, which  cost  forty-five  thousand  dollars.  The  popu- 
lation is  four  thousand.  Though  an  important  centre  of 
business  for  the  region,  the  great  attraction  to  General 
Mitchel  was  its  situation.  It  is  on  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  Railroad,  which,  with  intersecting  tracks, 
poured  into  the  depots  of  the  southeastern  rebel  army 


LITE    OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL.  159 

the  men,  munitions  of  war,  and  the  supplies  of  the  "West. 
See  how  the  network  of  ii'on  paths  in  Kentucky,  Tennes- 
see, and  Mississippi,  connect  with  this  grand  central 
thoroughfare  of  trade  and  travel.  Greneral  Mitchel  de- 
termined to  march  his  comparatively  small  army  a  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles  through  the  enemy's  country  to 
Huntsville,  and  cut  that  great  artery  of  life  to  the  Con- 
federacy. 

The  value  of  this  road  to  the  rebel  army  you  will 
learn  from  a  secession  paper  published  at  Florence,  which 
lies  upon  it,  between  Huntsville  and  Corinth.  The  news 
of  Grant's  progress  southward  from  Fort  Donelson  had 
reached  the  place.  The  Gazette  of  March  12,  1862,  had 
the  following  very  significant  article  : 

"  We  learned  yesterday  that  the  Unionists  had  landed 
a  very  large  force  at  Savannah,  Tenu.  We  suppose  they 
are  making  preparations  to  get  possession  of  the  Memphis 
and  Charleston  Railroad.  They  must  never  be  allowed 
to  get  this  great  thoroughfare  in  their  possession,  for  then 
we  would  indeed  be  crippled.  The  labor  and  untiring 
industry  of  too  many  faithful  and  energetic  men  have 
been  expended  on  this  road  to  bring  it  up  to  its  present 
state  of  usefulness,  to  let  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy  to  be  used  against  us.  It  must  be  protected.  We, 
as  a  people,  are  able  to  protect  and  save  it.  If  unavoid- 
able, let  them  have  our  river  ;  but  we  hope  it  is  the  united 
sentiment  of  our  people,  that  we  will  have  our  railroad" 


160  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

General  Mitchel  carefully  counted  the  perils  and  the 
cost  of  the  bold  adventure.  The  possibility  of  being 
caught  by  the  rebels  away  from  the  centres  of  our  mili-" 
tary  strength,  he  knew.  Libby  prison  for  those  who  were 
not  killed  in  the  fight,  or  the  hospitalities  of  any  other 
place  of  Southern  incarceration,  were  not  pleasant  to  con- 
template. On  the  other  hand,  he  had  learned  that,  with- 
out a  risk,  a  resolute  attempt  to  overcome  obstacles, 
nothing  worthy  of  a  man,  and  especially  of  a  Chris- 
tian, was  ever  accomplished.  Providence  was  his  trust ; 
and  He  honors  a  faith  that  depends  on  His  inter- 
position to  give  success,  if  that  aid  may  be  intelligently 
expected. 

General  Mitchel,  with  a  bounding  heart  of  hope  and 
pure  ambition  to  do  what  he  felt  able  and  called  to  per- 
form for  the  republic,  advanced  from  Nashville  to  Mur- 
freesboro'  early  in  March.  His  superior  ofiicer  had  other 
work  enough  to  fill  his  hands,  which  left  our  conamander 
for  awhile  unembarrassed. 

Movements  were  made  pointing  to  the  hastening  con- 
flict at  Shiloh,  by  the  hostile  armies  of  the  western  field. 
General  Buell  commenced  his  march  over  the  country 
toward  the  Tennessee  River.  General  Grant,  whose  en- 
larged command  was  now  the  "  Department  of  the  Missis- 
sippi," had  moved  his  battalions  already  in  the  vicinity 
of  Pittsburg  Landing.  The  rebel  army  of  the  Southwest 
was  intrenched  at  Corinth,  a  few  miles  distant  in  a  south- 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL    IVIITCHEL.  101 

westerly  direction,  on  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Rail- 
road. 

The  splendid  victories  of  Grant  and  Foote  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  of  Butler  and 
Farragut  near  the  mouth  of  the  Father  of  Waters,  had 
alarmed  the  traitors.  The  ghostly  thought,  that  the 
*' Yankees"  might  "hew  their  way"  through  that  mag- 
nificent valley,  and  cut  their  revolted  territory  in  two, 
began  to  haunt  their  proud  dreams  of  conquest.  Beaure- 
gard was  the  chief  of  the  concentrated  forces  prepared  to 
dispute  the  advance  of  the  Union  troops. 

It  was  at  this  crisis  of  affairs  that  General  Mitchel 
was  at  Murfreesboro'.  You  recollect  his  engineering  on 
the  railways  while  at  Cincinnati  nearly  twenty  years 
before.  Now  this  practical  knowledge  was  just  the  thing 
for  his  raid,  as  it  may  be  termed.  The  rebels,  in  their 
late  retreat,  had  destroyed  all  the  bridges  on  the  route. 
General  Mitchel,  in  ten  days,  had  twelve  hundred  feet  of 
these  demolished  structures  rebuilt  and  ready  for  the  ad- 
vance. 

It  is  the  sixth  of  April,  the  Sabbath-day.  Listen, 
vnth  the  ear  turned  toward  Pittsburg  Landing  or  Shiloh 
— the  latter  name  being  that  of  a  church  near — and  you 
can  almost  catch  the  thunder  of  terrible  battle.  General 
Grant  has  been  unexpectedly  attacked  at  that  point,  in- 
stead of  meeting  the  enemy  as  anticipated  at  Corinth. 

Generals  Albert  Sidney  Johnson  and  Beauregard  have 


162  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  MITCHEL. 

made  a  bold  push  forward.  Like  a  long  spectral  caravan, 
their  splendid  army  swept  through  the  forest  in  the  morn- 
ing twilight,  to  fall  upon  General  Prentiss'  division.  Oh  ! 
what  carnage,  consecrated  with  the  blood  of  patriots,  that 
daj  of  the  Lord !  And  how  strangely  tragedy  and  com- 
edy are  mingled  sometimes  in  war  ! 

On  the  rebel  side  of  the  field  a  commander  gathered 
around  him  his  brigade,  and  in  the  hearing  of  our  men, 
whose  battery  was  concealed  by  a  forest,  he  commenced 
hLs  addi'ess  in  these  words  :  "  Sons  of  the  South  !  TVe 
are  here  to  defend  our  homes,  our  wives  and  daughters, 
against  the  horde  of  vandals  who  have  come  here  to  pos- 
sess the  first  and  violate  the  last.  Here,  upon  this  sacred 
soil,  we  have  assembled  to  drive  back  the  Northern  in- 
vaders— drive  them  into  Tennessee.  Will  you  follow  me  ? 
I3  there  a  man  so  base  among  those  who  hear  me  as  to 
retreat  before  the  contemptible  foe  before  us?     I  will 

never  blanch  before  their  fire,  nor ^"      Just  then  a 

strange  screaming  sound  in  the  air,  and  six  shells  dropped 
around  the  orator.  With  the  dust,  he  and  his  audience 
in  a  hurry  cleared  away.  The  speech  is  doubtless  un- 
finished to  this  hour. 

And  where  is  Mitchel,  who  longed  for  the  smoke  of 
conflict  which  rolled  in  dense  clouds  over  Shiloh  ?  He  is 
sweeping  like  the  wind  toward  Shelby ville,  on  his  way  to 
HuntsviUe.  Meanwhile  his  depot  of  supplies  was  re- 
moved to  witliin  fif^v  m'.les  of  Hunts^-ille.     You  know 


LITE   OF    GENERAL    ^riTCHEL.  163 

the  food  for  an  army,  including  horses  and  mules,  re- 
quires the  greatest  forethought  and  care.  Let  thousands 
of  soldiers,  with  the  necessary  animals,  be  caught  without 
subsistence  in  an  enemy's  country,  and  starvation  or  sur- 
render must  soon  fbllov/.  To  prevent  this,  headquarters 
for  the  supplies,  as  well  as  for  the  commanding  general, 
must  be  secured  with  the  advance  of  the  army  from  one 
centre  of  operations  to  another.  Long  trains  of  cars,  or 
of  wagons,  convey  these  means  of  sustaining  the  immense 
cavalcade  of  the  moving  battalions  to  a  convenient  dis- 
tance from  the  troops. 

To  give  you  an  idea  of  army  trains,  I  will  add  a  de- 
scription of  one  of  these.  An  army  corps  of  30,000  in- 
fantry has  about  700  wagons,  drawn  by  4,200  mules. 
Including  the  horses  of  officers  and  of  the  artillery,  about 
7,000  animals  have  to  be  provided  for.  On  the  march, 
it  is  calculated  that  each  wagon  will  occupy  eighty  feet, 
in  bad  roads  much  more  ;  so  that  a  train  of  700  wagons 
will  cover  56,000  feet,  or  over  ten  miles  ;  the  ambulances 
will  occupy  about  a  mile,  and  batteries  about  three  miles  ; 
€0,000  troops  need  six  miles  to  march  in  if  they  form  one 
column ;  the  total  length  of  the  marching  column  of  a 
corps  is,  therefore,  twenty  miles,  without  including  the 
cattle  herds  and  trains  of  bridge  materials.  Impatient 
critics  of  army  movements  would  often  be  more  lenient 
were  they  to  familiarize  themselves  with  the  details  of 


164  LITE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

the  immense  difficulty  of  organizing  and  moving  large 
trains  and  artillery. 

The  bitter  spirit  of  the  rebels  in  the  country  which 
General  Mitchel  traversed,  was  shown  whenever  an  op- 
portunity occurred.  A  member  of  his  staif  told  me  that 
all  manner  of  sport  was  made  of  the  movements  and  sol- 
diers of  the  army.  Mimickry,  ridicule,  and  curses,  were 
the  salutations  continually.  Men,  women,  and  children, 
vied  with  each  other  in  the  effort  to  annoy  the  troops,  and 
display  their  demoniac  enmity  toward  the  "  Yankees." 
No  clearer  evidence  of  a  bad  cause  could  be  given.  The 
consciousness  of  a  righteous  and  worthy  enterprise  will 
lift  those  engaged  in  it  to  rational  and  decent  conduct : 
the  old  proverb,  "  murder  wiU  out,"  has  forcible  appli- 
cation here. 

The  worst  effect  of  slavery,  perhaps,  is  the  tyrannical, 
irritable,  and  selfish  disposition  it  cultivates.  To  make 
property  of  another  race — to  be  reheved  from  all  labor 
by  those  who  are  at  the  m,ercy  of  their  owners — nurtures 
the  basest  passions.  Embodied  in  political  action,  and 
then  military  force,  the  motto  has  been  and  is,  "  Rule  or 
ruin." 

While  at  Shelbyville  General  Mitchel  received,  under 
flag  of  truce,  a  rebel  officer.  The  returning  captive  was 
taken  sick.  He  was  nursed  for  many  days  in  his  pain 
and  weakness.  No  stranger  would  have  guessed,  from 
the  kindest  attention  and  medical  aid,  that  he  was  a  faith- 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  165 

ful  soldier  of  Jeff.  Davis.  When  he  recovered,  the  flag 
of  truce  was  borne  by  an  escort  of  the  officer  toward 
Corinth,  where  the  troops  of  Beauregard  held  their  strong 
position. 

The  sad  news  from  our  army  of  the  first  day's  battle 
at  Shiloh,  had  reached  the  towns  on  the  route.  At  Fay- 
etteville,  which  you  will  observe  is  on  the  curve  made  by 
the  course  of  travel,  twenty  miles  from  Shelbyville,  the 
exulting  people  excelled  the  forest  savages  in  their  in- 
humanity. A  flag  of  truce,  the  world  over,  is  regarded 
sacred.  "Without  such  respect,  there  could  be  no  inter- 
course between  hostile  armies.  It  is  the  flag  whose  mean- 
ing is  just  the  opposite  of  the  hlack  flag,  which  signifies 
no  mercy.  But  at  Fayetteville  it  was  scorned.  The 
barbarians  were  so  sure  of  sweeping  the  Union  legions 
from  their  soil,  they  could  meanly,  basely,  insult  the 
peaceful  banner  over  the  head  of  an  officer  from  their 
army.  The  life  of  the  escort  was  in  danger.  A  ruffian 
took  him  by  the  hand  and  rudely  pulled  it,  saying,  with 
an  oath  I  will  not  repeat :  "  You  infernal  Yankee,  what 
are  you  doing  here  ?  " 

It  reminds  us  of  the  stories  of  Indian  captivity,  in  the 
early  history  of  our  country,  when  a  prisoner  became  the 
object  of  cruel  pastime  till  death  released  the  victim.  The 
officer  and  his  lieutenant  sat  up  all  night  to  watch  over 
the  life  of  the  truce-flag  bearer.  The  returned  rebel 
wrote  to  General  Mitchel,  deeply  regi'etting  the  injury, 


166  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

and  making  all  the  apology  in  his  power  for  the  outrage. 
And  to  illustrate  the  spirit  of  the  women,  I  must  add  an 
extract  from  a  letter  addressed  to 

"  Dearest  Aunt :  If  there  is  an  hereafter,  a  heaven  or 
hell,  I  pray  to  go  to  perdition  ere  my  soul  would  be  join- 
ed or  rest  in  heaven  with  the  fiendish  foe.  Pleaven  would 
not  be  the  place  described  to  us  were  it  filled  with  spirits 
so  foul,  so  hellish  (excuse  the  expression).  "Words  are 
too  weak,  too  trite,  too  feeble  to  convey  even  the  slightest 
idea  of  feeling  with  which  our  refined,  elegant,  high-toned, 
principled,  chivalrous  people  look  upon  such  an  offcast, 
degenerate  set.  .  .  .  Oh !  the  thought  is  too  painful,  to 
see  our  men,  the  choicest,  the  most  refined  specimens  of 
God's  work,  destroyed  and  even  forced  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  dregs  of  creation  ;  for  every  man  they  lose  is 
a  blessing,  a  godsend  to  humanity  and  society. 

"  Anna." 

Such  was  the  welcome  of  the  citizens,  for  the  most 
part,  to  General  Mitchel,  pushing  with  sublime  daring 
into  the  heart  of  the  treasonable  South.  You  will  read 
with  admiring  interest  his  eloquent ''  declaration  of  senti- 
ments," in  respect  to  his  own  conduct  amid  such  provoca- 
tions : 

"  In  my  treatment  of  the  people  I  adopted  a  very 
simple  policy  at  the  outset.  I  have  studied  the  great 
platform  of  the  rebellion  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   IIHITCHEL.  16Y 

made  up  my  mind  that  no  cause  existed  for  the  South 
raising  its  hand  against  the  United  States — not  the 
slightest ;  that  it  was  a  rebellion,  a  downright  piece  of 
treason  all  the  way  through ;  and  that  every  individual 
in  that  country  who  was  either  in  arms,  or  who  aided 
and  abetted  those  in  arms,  was  my  personal  enemy,  and 
that  I  would  never  break  bread,  or  eat  salt,  with  any  en- 
emy of  my  country,  no  matter  who  he  might  be  ;  and  I 
have  never  done  it  up  to  this  day.  In  the  next  place,  I 
determined  I  would  show  them  I  was  honest,  and  had  an 
object  in  view  ;  and  while  I  treated  them  with  the  most 
perfect  justice,  I  determined  to  make  every  individual 
feel  that  there  was  a  terrible  pressure  of  war  upon  him, 
which  would  finally  destroy  him  and  grind  him  to  pow- 
der, if  he  did  not  give  up  his  rebellion." 

Words  more  just,  patriotic,  unselfish,  and  appropriate, 
no  lips  have  uttered  since  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence proclaimed  the  birth  of  the  Republic  !  They  were 
the  keynote  of  that  peculiar  and  fascinating  earnestness, 
which  not  often  lends  its  glow  to  fine  intellect  and  high 
culture.  There  was  so  much  soul  in  all  he  did.  I  do  not 
mean  merely  enthusiasm,  which  may  be  very  shallow.  It 
was  depth  of  feeling,  moved  like  the  tides  by  the  sun  and 
moon,  when  any  object  worthy  of  his  powers  engaged 
them.  It  gained  for  him  a  privileged  place  in  the  Acad- 
emy, built  observatories,  captivated  the  elite  of  the  land 
while  he  discoursed  of  the  stars,  and  made  him  a  leader 


168  LIFE    OF   GENERAL   :MITCHEL. 

on  the  battle-field,  second  to  none  in  promise  of  grandest 
success.  How  unlike  the  compromising,  hesitating  policy 
of  many  distinguished  generals  in  our  Union  army,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  war  !  And  how  unlike  the  terrible 
earnestness  of  the  foe  ! 

You  have  heard  of  the  guerrillas?  And  you  may 
have  seen  the  anecdote  of  a  man  who  confounded  the 
name  with  gorilla,  a  powerful  and  savage  animal  resem- 
bling the  orang-outang — not  a  very  bad  mistake  either  ; 
for  the  guerrillas  are  a  band  of  lawless  robbers,  who 
prowl  over  the  country,  plundering  and  murdering  the 
Union  people  without  mercy. 

General  Mitchel  learned  that  they  had  driven  the  in- 
habitants of  Franklin  and  Marion  Counties,  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, to  the  mountains,  away  from  their  homes,  crops, 
and  all  their  comforts.  Thousands  of  peaceable  citizens, 
because  they  loved  the  Republic,  were  thus,  like  the 
Christian  martyrs  under  the  pagan  and  papal  kings, 
"  wandering  in  the  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth."  Wliite 
and  black  alike  were  hunted  down  by  the  rebel  bandits — 
pillaged,  insulted,  outraged. 

General  Mitchel  sent  General  Negley,  a  brave  offi- 
cer of  the  stamp  of  his  commander,  to  look  after  these  ^ 
ruffians  ;  and  after  he  had  administered  justice  from  the 
mouths  of  rifles,  and  from  sabre-tongues,  to  make  a  call  at 
Chattanooga.  There,  v/as  a  strong  position  of  the  enemy. 
On  the  cavalry  flew,  toward  Winchester,  by  forced  marches, 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  169 

to  surprise  General  Adams,  near  Jasper.  How  splendidly 
those  troopers  climbed  the  steep  declivities,  and  moved 
like  a  huge  anaconda  over  the  mountain  crests,  and  along 
the  rugged  slopes  !  Twenty  miles  of  this  gallop  were  left 
behind,  when  the  Union  force  struck  the  pickets  of  Ad- 
ams' battalions,  and  captured  them  by  the  most  adroit  at- 
tack. Soon  General  Negley  met  the  main  force,  which 
fled  up  a  narrow  lane.  Hotly  pursued,  the  enemy  crowded 
the  unfrequented  road  toward  Jasper,  until  compelled  to 
turn  and  fight. 

Now  comes  one  of  the  severest  "  hand-to-hand  fights  " 
of  the  war.  Gallantly  dash  Taggard  and  Wyncoop's 
cavalry  upon  the  desperate  rebels.  Spur,  carbine,  and 
sabre  do  their  work  well !  The  burnished  blades  wave 
and  cross,  and  go  down  to  drink  blood  in  the  electric  air 
of  that  fierce  battle.  See  that  fine-looking  guerrilla,  his 
face  half  buried  in  whiskers  and  mustache,  lifting  his 
blade  with  defiant  swing !  Down  it  goes,  with  sudden, 
aimless  curve,  toward  the  ground.  The  proud  head 
droops — the  blood  gurgles  from  a  mortal  wound  !  That 
dying  officer  is  Major  Adams,  brother  of  the  commanding 
general. 

And  then  the  reins  are  drawn  on  the  steeds,  and  their 
heads  turned  toward  Jasper,  In  the  toTvni  an  efiort  is 
made  to  rally  the  terrified  fugitives,  but,  cursing  Adams 
and  ill  luck,  on  they  sweep  toward  Chattanooga.  For 
miles  the  road  is  strewn  with  weapons,  knapsacks,  and 


170  LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   :snTCHEL. 

all  the  relics  of  a  flying  host,  leaving  a  score  or  more  dead 
in  their  wake. 

General  Adams  finds  rest  in  Chattanooga,  to  the  very 
gates  of  which  General  Negley  follows  him.  Colonel  Sill 
advances  to  Shell  Mound,  on  the  river.  Meanwhile,  from 
the  mountain  passes  of  the  Cumberland  Range,  the  over- 
joyed exiles  come  streaming  into  Jasper,  haggard,  weary,^ 
and  hungry.  Oh  !  'tis  touching  to  see  strong  men  Aveep 
with  grief  and  gratitude,  and  vainly  endeavor  to  express 
their  thanks  for  the  deliverance  wrought  by  General 
Mitchel  and  his  heroes. 

Despatches  pass  back  and  forth  between  Generals 
Negley  and  Mitchel,  breathing  victory  and  congratula- 
tions. The  cobwebs  are  swept  from  long-forsaken  homes, 
and  lights  at  evening  again  bum  by  their  altars. 

Upon  one  occasion  an  officer,  with  whom  General 
Mitchel  had  business  of  great  importance  to  transact,  re- 
ported himself  at  a  later  moment  than  he  had  appointed 
for  the  interview.  When  the  officer  came  into  the  gen- 
eral's presence,  with  no  thought  of  any  allusion  to  a  little 
delay,  his  commander  said  promptly : 

"•  Sir,  you  are  late." 

"  Only  a  few  seconds,"  replied  the  officer. 

"  Sir,"  replied  General  Mitchel,  "  I  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  computing  the  value  of  the  hundredth  part  of  a 
second." 

The  rebuke  was  felt  and  borne  in  silence.     The  as- 


LIFE    OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  171 

tronomer  had  learned  the  importance  of  the  fraction  of  a 
second  in  the  measurement  and  motions  of  the  heavenly 
bodies,  which  may  be  equally  precious  in  the  movements 
of  armies  and  destinies  of  men. 

Look  away  toward  that  wild  summit,  around  which 
lies  a  rugged  and  romantic  landscape,  bathed  in  the 
morning  light  of  the  Sabbath !  Tents  dot  the  slopes, 
and  over  them  waves,  in  the  refreshing  breeze,  the  "  Star 
Spangled  Banner."  Excepting  the  track  of  the  Union 
army,  and  its  encampments,  heights  and  valley  are  hos- 
tile soil. 

The  Ninth  Ohio  Brigade  have  gathered  to  the  bugle- 
call  for  religious  service.  The  brave  "  Buckeye"  volun- 
teers stand  with  uncovered  heads,  while  the  chaplain's 
prayer  ascends  to  the  God  of  battles.  Then  the  sacred 
song  rises  and  swells  upon  the  mountain  air,  floating 
away  to  the  eagle's  nest,  and  blending  with  the  wild 
bird's  notes  of  praise  to  Him  "  who  hears  the  young 
ravens  when  they  cry."  The  sermon  follows.  When 
the  preacher  leaves  his  platform  General  Mitchel  mounts 
a  rock,  and  modestly,  earnestly  addresses  the  troops.  His 
clear  voice  and  eloquent  words  hold  in  breathless  atten- 
tion every  hearer. 

He  begins  by  assuring  the  vast  audience  that  he  does 
not  "  appear  before  them  as  the  general  commanding,  but 
in  a  higher  capacity ;  that  he  shall  address  them  as  a 
man  speaking  to  his  fellow  men — as  one  striving  for  tLo 


1Y2  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

same  eternal  rest  offered  to  all  in  this  probationary  life." 
He  urges  the  duty  of  the  soldier  to  be  a  Chi'istian ;  that 
religion  heightens  every  enjoyment,  and  prepares  him  to 
discharge  better  every  obligation 

For  half  an  hour  the  scholar,  general,  and  orator,  pre- 
sents in  glowing  light  the  transcendent  excellence  of 
Christian  character,  the  ingratitude  and  ruin  of  an  irre- 
ligious life. 

Seldom,  if  ever,  has  the  war-field  presented  so  sublime 
and  impressive  a  scene.  The  Sabbath-sky  arched  the 
mountain  top,  glittering  with  arms  and  uniform,  from 
whose  rocky  eyrie  for  the  first,  and  doubtless  last  time, 
worship  ascended  to  the  "  King  of  kings."  And  when  the 
sun  went  down  in  glory  over  the  guardian  heights  of  East 
Tennessee,  brave  hearts  were  touched  with  the  memories 
of  that  appeal — tears  glistened  while  its  magic  power  sent 
the  thoughts  away  to  Christian  homes  and  temples,  per- 
haps to  be  seen  no  more.  Snatches  of  sacred  melody 
from  scattered  tents  died  on  the  bosom  of  night — the 
mountain  vespers  of  freedom's  advancing  host  I 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


A  daring  AdveBture  under  General  Mitchel — The  leader  of  the  band  detailed  to 
conduct  it— Perilous  Travelling— Partial  Success — The  Flight  for  Life— Ar- 
rest of  the  "  Engiae  Thieves." 


^E  come  now  to  a  wild  episode  in  General 
Mitchel's  campaign ;  an  adventure,  the  like 
of  which,  I  think,  was  never  known  before. 
To  understand  it,  you  must  recollect  that  the 
rebels  had  been  driven  by  General  Grant 
ffom  their  great  frontier  posts,  and  had  fallen  back  on 
shorter  lines  of  defence — that  is,  placed  their  troops 
around  a  smaller  territory. 

The  railroad  which  General  Mitchel  was  after,  was 
the  western  artery  of  supplies  to  the  enemy.  The  map 
will  show  you  on  the  easterly  side  of  a  vast  parallelogram 
of  railways  from  Memphis  to  Chattanooga,  thence  to  At- 
lanta and  Jackson,  and  round  again  to  Memphis,  forming 
the  life-enclosure  of  the  hostile  field,  the  Georgia  State 
road. 


1Y4  ^  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL. 

If  along  with  success  in  the  magnificent  enterprise  of 
General  Mitchel,  this  important  line  could  be  destroyed 
or  even  crippled,  East  Tennessee,  then  poorly  defended, 
would  be  at  the  mercy  of  our  General  Morgan  lying 
before  Cumberland  Gap,  ready  to  spring  like  a  lion  from 
his  lair,  whenever  the  prey  was  within  reach. 

Mr.  J.  J.  Andrews,  a  secret  agent  of  the  United 
States,  who  had  often  been  through  nearly  every  part  of 
the  South,  matured  a  very  bold  plan  of  cutting  off  com- 
munication by  this  route.  It  was  a  military  expedition 
of  small  proportions,  but  attended  "wdth  a  courageous  fear- 
lessness, and  with  perils  surpassing  any  other  deed  of  ar- 
tifice, and  defiance  of  suffering  and  death,  in  the  annals 
of  war. 

A  score  of  men  were  to  penetrate  to  the  enemy's 
country,  seize  the  trains  on  the  track  from  Atlanta  to 
Huntsville,  and  burn  the  bridges  behind  them  ;  thus  inter- 
rupting communication,  till  a  decisive  blow  could  be  laid 
upon  the  almost  isolated  foe.  The  proposition  was  first 
made  to  General  Buell,  who  refused  to  entertain  it.  With 
General  Mitchel  the  bold  raiders  were  more  successful. 
The  audacious  design  just  suited  the  enthusiasm  and 
energy  of  the  chief.  The  greatest  caution  and  secrecy 
was  to  attend  every  movement  of  the  pretended  friends 
of  the  Confederate  Administration  while  under  its  pro- 
tection. Among  them  was  a  young  man  named  William 
Pittinger,  an  Ohio  farmer's  boy,  only  twenty-two  years 


LIFE  OF   GENEKAL   MITCHEL.  175 

of  age.  Like  his  general,  he  was  early  fond  of  astro- 
nomical studies.  When  only  seventeen  years  of  age  he 
constructed  a  telescope  of  considerable  power,  "  which 
his  friends  from  near  and  far  came  to  see  and  gaze 
through,  at  the  wonderful  worlds  unthought  of  before." 
An  intelligent,  yet  imaginative  youth,  he  asked  as  a  spe- 
cial favor  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  join  the  expe- 
dition. He  has  since  published  an  account  of  the  wild, 
exciting,  and  tragical  adventures  of  that  select  company, 
who  were  all  from  Ohio  excepting  the  leader  Andrews, 
and  William  Campbell,  both  of  whom  were  from  Ken- 
tucky. Several  of  the  fearless  band  of  twenty-four,  who 
were  gathered  from  four  different  regiments  and  eight 
companies,  made  short  excursions  to  the  enemy's  lines, 
and  came  near  being  captured  at  Chattanooga.  They 
had  gone  in  citizen's  dress  from  that  place  to  Atlanta,  in- 
tending there  to  seize  a  Georgia  engineer,  take  his  train, 
burn  the  bridges  behind  them,  and  run  through  to  our 
lines.  But  he  had  been  pressed  into  Beauregard's  service, 
then  mustering  his  forces  at  Corinth,  and  thus  escaped. 

At  length  all  was  ready  for  the  grand  dash  into  the 
heart  of  "  rebeldom."  The  little  camp  was  pitched 
above  Shelbyville,  where  General  Mitchel's  battalions 
lay.  April  6th,  the  Sabbath-day,  smiled  brightly  on  the 
scene.  Writes  young  Pittinger  :  "  The  earliness  of  the 
clime  made  the  birds  sing,  and  the  fields  bloom  with  more 
than  'the  brilliancy  of  May  in  our  own  northern  land. 


176  LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

Deeply  is  the  quiet  of  that  Sabbath  -with,  the  green  beauty 
of  the  warm  spring  landscape  pictured  on  my  mind.  An 
impression,  I  know  not  what,  made  me  devote  the  day  to 
writing  letters  to  my  friends.  It  was  well  I  did  so,  for 
long  and  weary  months  passed  ere  I  was  permitted  to 
write  to  them  again." 

Monday  morning,  Andrews  reported  to  General 
Mitchel  that  he  had  been  along  the  line  of  the  Georgia 
State  Railroad,  and  the  "  scheme  was  still  feasible,  and 
would  be  of  more  advantage  than  ever." 

The  leader  of  the  band  was  a  nobfe  specimen  of  Ken- 
tucky manhood.  He  was  "  nearly  six  feet  in  height,  of 
powerful  frame,  black  hair,  long,  black,  and  silken  beard  ; 
Roman  features  ;  a  high  and  expansive  forehead ;  and  a 
voice  fine  and  soft  as  a  woman's,  with  the  most  cool  and 
dauntless  courage,"  and  great  refinement  of  feeling.  He 
had  a  single  defect  of  character,  it  would  seem,  from  the 
history  of  the  expedition.  While,  as  a  secret  agent,  he 
was  always  deliberate  in  action,  his  very  habit  of  acting 
alone,  unfitted  him  in  some  degree  to  act  for  others,  in  a 
startling  surprise,  when  "  instant  action  is  the  only  chance 
of  safety."  Still  a  braver,  manlier  spirit,  never  staked 
every  thing  in  a  desperate  adventure,  than  this  loyal  son 
of  Kentucky. 

At  four  o'clock  on  that  Monday  afternoon,  the  sun- 
beams fell  unclouded  upon  the  gallant  company  striking 
their  tents,  and  leaving  camp  in  the  bracing  air  of  the 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  177 

closing  day.  They  hastened  to  Shelby ville,  to  bid  adieu 
to  old  comrades  and  their  brave  officers.  The  eyes  of 
scarred  heroes  were  suffused  with  tears  while  they  grasped 
hands,  in  a  parting  which  appeared  to  those  who  remained 
behind,  a  final  one.  Alas !  it  proved  to  be  so  to  more 
than  a  third  of  the  number. 

The  orders  were,  to  proceed  in  separate  squads  along 
the  road  toward  Chattanooga,  and  halting  two  or  three 
miles  from  Shelbyville,  meet  in  consultation,  and  arrange 
the  programme  of  dangerous  advance  into  hostile  ter- 
ritory. 

Now  look  into  that  thicket  of  shrubbery  and  old  fallen 
trees,  opening  into  the  fields  and  road ;  a  partial  conceal- 
ment, and  yet  affording  a  glimpse  of  the  approaches  to 
prevent  a  surprise  by  straggling  foes.  The  silent  stars 
flash  above  the  ambush,  and  the  dry  leaves  rustle  in 
the  night  wind,  while  Andrews  in  subdued  and  earnest 
tones  reveals  the  plan  of  action.  The  band  are  to  travel 
in  companies  of  three  or  four  toward  Chattanooga,  avoid- 
ing suspicion  by  such  stories  of  their  adventures  as  might 
be  suggested  by  the  occasion.  They  are  to.  reach  the 
stronghold,  one  hundred  and  three  miles  distant,  on 
Thursday  evening.  The  road  is  hard,  and  every  step 
under  the  shadow  of  danger.  With  nightfall  comes  a  ter- 
rific storm,  and  rayless  darkness  wraps  the  lonely  path 
of  travel.  But  onward,  falling  into  swollen  gutters  and 
sinking  into  mire,  Pittinger  and  his  comrades  go  toward 


178  LIFE   OF   GEXEKAL   MITCHEL. 

their  unrelenting  enemies.  At  midnight  they  find  shel- 
ter in  a  loghouse.  The  owner,  alarmed  at  the  unseason- 
able call,  begins  to  question  the  "  boys." 

They  reply :  "  TVe  are  Kentuekians,  disgusted  vrith 
the  Lincoln  Government,  and  are  seeking  an  asylum  in 
the  free  and  independent  South." 

"Oh,  you  have  come  on  a  bootless  errand,"  he  adds  ; 
"  and  you  had  better  go  home,  for  I  have  no  doubt  the 
whole  of  the  South  will  soon  be  as  much  under  Lincoln  as 
Kentucky  is." 

"  Xever  !  we  will  fight  till  we  die  first." 

This  deceives  the  Union  settler,  and  chuckling  over 
his  own  contrary  belief,  he  says  : 

"Well,  we'll  see  ;  we'll  see." 

The  adventurers  do  not  dare  disclose  their  real  char- 
acter, and  the  quiet  loyalist  entertains  the  supposed  chiv- 
alry, promising  not  to  inform  the  Union  pickets  of  their 
refuge. 

TVe  do  not  justify  such  a  resort  to  falsehood,  but  war 
sets  aside  the  rules  of  peaceful  life.  The  next  morning 
they  pushed  on  through  the  storm  again,  which  soon  beat 
upon  them  with  pitiless  fury.  At  Manchester,  entirely 
beyond  our  lines,  they  found  intense  excitement  over  the 
rumor  of  an  approaching  force  of  Yankee  cavalry.  Hast- 
ening, with  the  peculiar  emotions  of  loyal  hearts,  to  the 
public  square,  from  which,  it  was  stated,  the  invaders 
were  visible,  they  saw  the  dreaded  troopers  rising  over 


LIFE    OF    GEXERAL   SHTCHEL.  179 

the  crest  of  a  hill.  How  suddenly  the  delusion  vanished  I 
For  lo  !  a  company  of  negroes  General  Mitchel  had 
frightened  from  the  coal-mining  works  he  had  just  de- 
stroyed, were  hurrying  into  town.  The  chagrined  chiv- 
alry dispersed,  cursing  the  "  sons  of  Ham,"  on  whose  un- 
requited toil  they  flourished,  and  for  which  they  had  open- 
ed the  sluices  of  human  blood  in  the  land.  The  dinner 
hour  found  them  hungry,  and  near  a  "  Sand-hiller's " 
solitary  and  humble  drelling. 

"  What  are  "  Sand-hillers  "  ?  asks  a  young  reader. 

The  name  is  applied  to  the  poor  whites  of  the  South, 
who  feel  almost  as  crushingly  the  curse  of  slavery  as  do 
those  who  are  bought  and  sold.  They  own  no  land,  but 
have  their  cabins  on  the  poorest  soil  of  the  planters,  and 
with  a  corn-patch,  live  as  they  can  by  the  fish-hook  and 
gun— a  miserably  ignorant,  squalid,  servile  class,  who  are 
merely  the  tools  of  the  aristocracy.  They  are  also  called 
"  clay-eaters." 

A  good  appetite  made  even  the  coarse  corn  bread, 
half  baked,  and  tainted  meat  relish — the  only  repast  the 
raiders  could  have  that  dark  day.  At  night  they  were 
sheltered  by  a  bitter  secessionist,  with  whom  they  dis- 
cussed the  tyranny  of  the  Republican  Administration. 
The  morning  of  Thursday  dawned  on  the  weary  and  jaded 
company,  still  a  long  distance  from  Chattanooga,  deter- 
mined to  force  their  way  on  to  the  appointed  place 
of  'meeting,    when  Andrews    concluded    to    defer    the 


180  LIFE    OF    GENEEAL   l^HTCHEL. 

final  dash  a  single  day — as  it  proved,  a  strangely  fatal 
delay. 

A  few  hours  later  they  were  in  Jasper,  hearing  and 
seeing  what  they  could  ;  apparently  as  good  rebels  as  any 
of  the  villagers.  You  wiU  know  more  of  this  town  in 
General  Mitchel's  movements.  Here,  news  of  the  battle 
of  Shiloh  were  just  received — it  was  said,  exultingly,  that 
thousands  of  Yankees  were  killed,  and  one  man  affirmed 
that  five  hundred  gunboats  were  sunk.  After  all  sorts  of 
adventures — getting  lost  among  the  Cumberland  Moun- 
tains, and  perils  among  foes — ^they  followed  a  valley  to 
the  river-bank,  opposite  Chattanooga.  In  an  hour  or  two 
the  cars  would  pass  on  the  opposite  side,  in  which  they 
must  be  passengers.  Between  them  and  that  track  was  a 
ferry,  swept  by  a  gale  of  wind.  The  unsuspecting  ferry- 
man tried  to  cross,  but  his  boat  was  beaten  back,  like  a 
nautilus-shell  in  a  storm  at  sea.  After  repeated  effiDrts, 
the  hazardous  passage  was  accomplished. 

The  next  barrier,  which  was  the  most  dreaded,  was 
the  guard.  But  the  arrival  of  General  Mitcbel  at  Hunts- 
ville  had  so  alarmed  the  people  that  they  evidently  forgot 
the  ferry  in  looking  toward  that  centre  of  terrible  interest 
— ^the  armed  watchmen  were  gone.  "With  a  sense  of  relief, 
the  little  band  hastened  to  the  mountain-en\droned  town, 
near  the  rushing  Tennessee.  A  peak,  seven  hundred  feet 
high,  frowns  in  singular  grandeur  over  it,  from  which 
lookout  four  States  are  visible.     To  the  depot  they  hur* 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  181 

ried,  and  bought  their  tickets,  when,  just  as  the  sun 
stooped  to  bathe  lovingly,  with  farewell  smiles, 

" ^Earth's  gigantic  sentinels, 

Discoursing  in  the  skies  !  " 

the  train  came  thundering  along.  In  another  moment 
the  raiders  were  safely  seated  in  the  cars,  and  gliding 
along  those  smooth  metallic  lines,  gleaming  in  the  golden 
flame  of  the  west,  toward  Marietta.  Sleep  overcame  the 
exhausted  travellers,  until  the  conductor's  call,  at  mid- 
night, "  Marietta  !  "  startled  them  to  realize  that  the  goal 
was  won — they  "  were  in  the  centre  of  the  Confederacy." 
They  walked,  with  rapid  step  and  quickened  pulse,  to 
the  Tremont  House.  With  strange,  sobered  thoughts, 
they  went  to  their  last  led  for  many  eventful,  memorable 
months. 

The  leader,  Andrews,  who  stopped  at  another  hotel, 
had  given  orders  to  start  in  the  four  o'clock  train  the  next 
morning.  The  waiter  awakened  the  unsuspected  "  boys  " 
at  that  hour.  Big  Shanty,  eight  miles  from  Marietta, 
where  the  train  stopped  for  breakfast,  was  selected  for  the 
daring  attempt  to  seize  the  engine,  and  drive  it  in  hot 
haste  for  our  lines. 

The  early  morning  air  and  the  vernal  bloom  softened 
even  the  savage  aspect  of  war  along  the  route,  bordered 
with  encampments,  and  scarred  with  the  hoofs  and  wheels 
of  their  locomotion.  And  here  I  shall  let  young  Pittin- 
ger  tell  his  ovni  story  : 


182  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

"  As  soon  as  we  arrived,  the  engineer,  conductor,  and 
many  of  tlie  passengers  went  over  to  the  eating-house. 
Now  was  our  opportunity!  Andrews  and  .one  or  two 
others,  went  forward  and  examined  the  track  to  see  if 
every  thing  was  in  readiness  for  a  rapid  start.  Oh  !  what 
a  thrilling  moment  was  that !  Our  hearts  throbbed  thick 
and  fast  with  emotions  we  dared  not  manifest  to  those 
who  were  loafing  indifferently  around.  In  a  minute, 
which  seemed  an  hour,  Andrews  came  back,  opened  the 
door,  and  said  very  quietly  and  carelessly,  '  Let  us  go, 
now,  boys.'  Just  as  quietly  and  carelessly  we  arose  and 
followed  him.  The  passengers,  who  were  lazily  waiting 
for  the  train  to  move  on  and  carry  them  to  their  destina- 
tion, saw  nothing  in  this  transaction  to  excite  their  suspi- 
cions. 

"  Leisurely  we  moved  forward — reached  the  head  of  the 
train — then  Andrews,  Brown,  our  engineer,  and  Knight, 
who  also  could  run  an  engine,  leaped  on  the  locomotive  ; 
Alfred  Wilson  took  the  cars  as  brakesman,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  us  clambered  into  the  foremost  baggage  car, 
which,  with  two  others,  had  previously  been  uncoupled 
from  the  hinder  part  of  the  train.  For  one  moment  of 
most  intense  suspense  all  was  still — then  a  pull — a  jar — 
a  clang — and  we  were  flying  away  on  our  perilous  jour- 
ney. 

"There  are  times  in  the  life  of  man  when  whole 
years  of  intensest  enjoyment  seem  condensed  into  a  single 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL,  183 

moment.  It  was  so  with  me  then.  My  heart  throbbed 
Av-ith  delight  and  gladness  that  words  labor  in  vain  to  ex- 
press. A  sense  of  ethereal  lightness  ran  through  all  my 
veins,  and  I  seemed  to  be  ascending  higher — higher — into 
realms  of  inexpressible  bliss,  with  each  pulsation  of  the 
engine.  It  was  a  moment  of  triumphant  joy  that  will 
never  return  again.  Not  a  dream  of  failure  now  shad- 
owed my  rapture.  All  had  told  us  that  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty was  to  reach  and  take  possession  of  the  engine,  and 
after  that  success  was  certain.  It  would  have  been  but 
for  unforeseen  contingencies.  Away  we  scoured,  passing 
field,  and  village,  and  woodland.  At  each  leap  of  the  en- 
gine our  hearts  rose  higher,  and  we  talked  merrily  of  the 
welcome  that  would  greet  us  when  into  Huntsville  a  few 
hours  later — our  enterprise  done,  and  the  brightest  lau- 
rels of  the  guerrilla  Morgan  far  eclipsed  ! 

"  But  the  telegraph  ran  by  our  side,  and  was  able,  by 
flashing  a  single  lightning  message  ahead,  to  arrest  our 
progress  and  dissipate  all  our  fondest  hopes.  To  obviate 
all  danger  on  this  point,  we  stopped,  after  running  some 
four  miles,  to  cut  the  v.dre.  John  Scott,  an  active  young 
man,  climbed  the  pole,  and  with  his  hand  knocked  off  the 
insulated  box,  and  swung  down  on  the  wire.  Fortunately 
there  was  a  small  saw  on  the  engine,  with  which  the  wire 
was  soon  severed.  While  this  was  being  done,  another 
party  took  up  a  rail,  and  put  it  into  the  car  to  carry  off 
with  us.     This  did  not  long  check  our  pursuers,  but  we 


184  LIFE   OF    GEXEBAL   MTTCHEL. 

had  the  satisfaction  of  learning  that  it  threw  them  down 
the  embankment. 

"  When  the  engine  first  stopped  Andrews  jumped  off, 
clasped  om*  hands  in  ecstacj,  congratulating  us  that  our 
difficulties  were  now  all  over  ;  that  we  had  the  enemy  at 
such  a  disadvantage  that  he  could  not  harm  us,  and  ex- 
hibited every  sign  of  joy. 

"  '  Only  one  train  more,'  said  he,  '  to  pass,  and  then 
we  will  put  our  engine  at  full  speed,  burn  the  bridges  af- 
ter us,  dash  through  Chattanooga,  and  on  to  Mitchel  at 
HuntsviUe.' " 

Alas  for  the  boasted  wisdom  and  security  of  human 
plans  !  The  expected  train  came  rushing  on — the  plea 
that  Beauregard  ordered  the  strange  haste  gave  them  an 
unchallenged  flight  still  onward,  but  a  red  flag  on  the  last 
car  told  of  another  coming  engine — it  swept  by,  and  also 
hung  out  the  flaming  signal.  The  whistle  of  the  pursuing 
engine  now  shrieked  on  their  ears  ! 

The  steam  was  crowded — the  ponderous  wheels  went 
■  round  like  a  spinning-top,  and  struck  fire  on  the  sounding 
rail — the  car  bounded  and  rocked,  tossing  the  raiders  about, 
as  "  peas  rattle  in  a  gourd  ; "  but  on  the  exasperated  reb- 
els rushed.  Such  a  war-scene  was  never  witnessed  before. 
Nearly  a  mile  a  minute,  the  pursued  and  pursuers  flew 
past  villages,  hamlets,  and  houses,  from  which  the  aston- 
ished people  gazed  with  terror,  till  within  fifteen  miles  of 
Chattanooga.     The  alarm  had  called  out  the   military 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL.  185 

force  there — cannon  were  planted  ready  to  fire  on  the  im- 
aginary host — trees  were  felled  across  the  track  to  oppose 
the  advance — for  the  telegraph  had  helped  the  enemy 
in  spite  of  early  success  in  cutting  it.  Wood  and  water 
were  now  low,  and  the  hunters  in  sight ! 

Andrews  seemed  bewildered.  Instead  of  holding  to- 
gether his  band,  and  striking  across  the  woods  for  the 
Tennessee  River,  only  about  a  dozen  miles  distant,  he 
shouted : 

"  Leave  the  train — disperse — and  each  man  save  him- 
self as  best  he  can." 

A  moment  more  and  the  "  boys "  were  scattered 
among  the  spurs  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains.  Soon  as 
the  first  shock  of  the  unexpected  and  stunning  blow  had 
passed  away,  and  the  rebels  found  that  the  "engine- 
thieves"  were  in  the  wilderness,  the  great  "man-hunt" 
began. 

"We  cannot  follow  them  through  their  wanderings  and 
hiding-places,  with  hunger,  and  thirst,  and  bruises,  added 
to  the  continual  fears  of  discovery  which  haunted  the  fu- 
gitives. But  one  after  another  they  were  chased  down, 
and  carried  into  Chattanooga.  Here  they  were  thrown 
into  an  old  negro  prison,  with  its  dark  subterranean  dun- 
geon, where,  through  a  trap-door,  the  captives  were  hur- 
ried in  a  sufibcating  air  and  oppressive  gloom.  Daily,  at 
the  same  opening,  the  jailer  let  down  in  a  bucket  the  small 
pieces  of  bread  and  meat  for  their  meals. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


A  brave  Boy — The  Dungeon — Iron  Cages — The  escape  and  arrest  of  Andrews— 
The  Death-warrant— Deep  Experiences — General  Mitchel  blameless  in  the 
whole  affair. 


T  Ringgold,  Robinson  and  young  Parrott  were 
taken.  The  captors  determined  to  make  Par- 
rott betray  his  companions,  especially  An- 
drews. He  nobly  declined  to  do  so.  Then  they 
stripped  him,  laid  him  on  a  rock,  and  a  lieuten- 
ant gave  him  a  hundred  lashes.  He  bore  them  without  a 
murmur  or  wavering  in  his  purpose.  The  " heroic  boy" 
was  then  chained  and  conveyed  to  the  prison,  where  all 
were  handcuffed  and  bound  together,  by  twos  and  tlirees, 
around  the  neck. 

One  day  light  broke  into  that  horrible  place,  which 
kindled  a  smile  upon  the  haggard  faces  of  the  prisoners, 
and  made  them  feel  like  shouting — it  was  the  tidings  that 
Bridgeport  Avas  taken  by  General  Mitchel.  This  splendid 
victory  is  recorded  in  another  place.  After  the  capture, 
one  of  two  who  did  not  awaken  in  the  morning,  at  Mari- 


LITE  OF  ge:nekal  mitchel.  187 

etta,  to  go  with  their  companions,  succeeded  in  reaching 
our  lines  from  a  rebel  battery  which  they  had  been  com- 
pelled to  join.  This  created  a  suspicion  in  regard  to  the 
other,  who  was  also  put  in  the  "black  hole"  of  Chatta- 
nooga. 

The  inmates  were  all  suddenly  removed  to  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  under  the  startling  apprehension  that  General 
3Iitchel  would  visit  Chattanooga  in  his  mysterious  and 
rapid  movements. 

A  few  days  later,  when  the  fear  of  immediate  danger  had 
subsided,  the  prisoners  were  returned  to  Chattanooga,  and 
thence  to  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  for  trial.  Here  they  found, 
in  frightful  want  and  suffering,  many  Union  men  who  re- 
fused to  acknowledge  the  Confederacy.  The  higher  class 
of  captives — the  prison  aristocracy — were  confined  in  iron 
cages.  There  were  five  of  these  m  the  fine  and  antiquat- 
ed old  building  used  for  a  military  prison.  A  part  of  the 
company  of"  engine  thieves,"  as  they  were  called  through- 
out the  South,  were  put  into  the  very  one  in  which  Par- 
son Brownlow  was  caged  and  shot  at  by  his  guards  ;  the 
bullet  marks  were  still  upon  it. 

Such  are  the  tender  mercies  of  professedly  civilized 
men,  engaged  in  a  cause  which  fires  the  base  passions 
nourished  by  slavery  under  the  surface-dressing  of  soci- 
ety. 

"While  the  court-martial  was  in  session,  several  weeks 
later,  when  number  seven  in  the  list  was  called,  there 


188  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

was  a  pause.  A  strange  sound  was  in  the  air.  They 
listened — it  was  a  shell !  General  Mitchel,  whose  mag- 
nificent dash  through  rebel  States  was  troubling  the  sub- 
jects of  Jeff.  Davis  all  along  his  route,  was  opposite 
Chattanooga,  and  sending  his  heralds  over  the  river. 
Never  did  a  court  break  up  more  suddenly,  and  away  for 
Atlanta  again  the  prisoners  went — ^Atlanta  !  the  splendid 
prize  of  the  unrivalled  Sherman  two  years  later. 

The  barbarities  of  the  rebels,  who  have  always,  you 
know,  talked  of  mercy,  and  complained  of  Yankee  cru- 
elty, are  illustrated  in  two  other  instances  I  will  add. 
One  man,  by  the  name  of  "Whan,  who  assisted  in  burn- 
ing bridges,  was  put  in  a  barrel  filled  with  spikes,  rolled 
down  a  hill,  and  then  taken  out  bleeding,  and  hung.  An- 
drews when  STVTing  off  from  the  gallows,  among  the  first 
caught,  touched  the  ground ;  so  the  murderers  dug  the 
earth  from  under  his  feet,  to  save  repeating  the  execu- 
tion. 

"  Mow  was  he  caught?"  you  ask. 

He  was  pursued  with  the  rest,  and  overtaken.  With 
a  comrade  he  escaped,  with  blankets  tied  together,  from 
the  prison  in  Chattanooga.  Crossing  the  river,  he  reach- 
ed an  island.  But  his  hunters,  with  bloodhounds,  came 
there.  Nearly  naked,  and  bleeding,  he  ran  from  one  side 
of  the  island  to  the  other,  and  through  the  water,  to  elude 
the  dogs,  and  at  length  climbed  a  tree  of  thick  foliage. 
After  the  rebels  had  given  up  the   search  in  despair  of 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  189 

finding  him,  two  children,  who  had  followed  from  mere 
curiosity,  saw  a  lunch  on  the  tree.  Carefully  looking  at 
it,  they  called  out,  "It  is  a  man!"  The  alarm  was 
sounded  ; — poor  Andrews,  faint  and  disheartened,  dropped 
from  the  tree,  seized  a  log  in  the  water,  and  paddled  out ; 
but  a  skiff  with  men  in  it  was  near,  and  he  had  to  sur- 
render. He  was  taken  back,  and  soon  after  hung,  as  al- 
ready described. 

And  thus  ended  the  career  of  a  young  man  of  intel- 
lect, energy,  and  culture,  who,  like  Major  Andre,  the 
British  spy,  a  finished  gentleman,  was  a  felon-victim  of 
war ;  that  is  to  say,  died  a  criminal's  death.  And  yet 
it  is  the  cJiaracter^  and  not  the  mode  of  dying,  that  makes 
the  event  important. 

Hearing  that  a  son  of  General  Mitchel  was  captured, 
it  raised  the  hope  in  the  hearts  of  the  survivors  of  an 
exchange,  which  proved  an  illusion.  Passing  over  fur- 
ther details  of  this  tragic  and  romantic  history,  we  will 
look  in  upon  Atlanta  jail,  while  General  Mitchel  was 
spreading  terror  along  his  path  of  conquest,  sad,  mth  a 
host  around  him,  at  the  failure  of  the  almost  recklessly 
daring  adventure,  and  the  fate  of  his  brave  men.  You  ^ 
shall  again  hear  the  noble  young  Pittinger  tell  the  tale  of 
sorrow  and  joy  most  affectingly  mingled  : 

"  One  day  while  we  were  very  merry,  amusing  oui*- 
selves  with  games  and  stories,  we  saw  a  squadron  of  cav 
airy  approaching.     This  did  not  at  first  excite  any  atten- 


190  LIFE   OF   GEJiTERAL   MITCHEL. 

tion,  for  it  was  a  common  thing  to  see  bodies  of  horse- 
men in  the  streets  ;  but  soon  we  observed  them  halt  at  our 
gate  and  surround  the  prison.     What  could  this  mean? 

"  A  moment  after,  the  clink  of  the  officers'  swords  was 
heard,  as  they  ascended  the  stairway,  and  we  knew  that 
something  unusual  was  about  to  take  place.  They  paused 
at  our  door,  threw  it  open,  and  called  the  names  of  our 
seven  companions.  With  throbbing  hearts  we  asked  one 
another  the  meaning  of  these  strange  proceedings.  Some 
supposed  they  were  to  receive  their  sentence  ;  others,  still 
more  sanguine,  believed  they  were  taken  out  of  the  room 
to  be  paroled,  preparatory  to  an  exchange.  I  was  sick, 
but  rose  to  my  feet,  oppressed  with  a  nameless  fear. 

''  A  moment  after,  the  door  opened,  and  George  D. 
Wilson  entered,  his  step  firm  and  his  form  erect,  but  his 
countenance  pale  as  death.  Some  one  asked  a  solution 
of  the  dreadful  mystery,  in  a  whisper,  for  his  face  silenced 
us  all. 

"  '  We  are  to  he  executed  immediately  ! '  was  the  awful 
reply,  whispered  with  thrilling  distinctness.  The  others 
came  in  all  tied,  ready  for  the  scaffiDld.  Then  came  the 
farewells — farewells,  with  no  hope  of  meeting  again  in 
this  world !  It  was  a  moment  that  seemed  an  age  of 
measureless  sorrow.  Our  comrades  were  brave ;  they 
were  soldiers,  and  had  often  looked  death  in  the  face  on 
the  battle-field.  They  were  ready,  if  need  be,  to  die  for 
their  country ;  but  to  die  on  the  scaffold — to  die  as  mur- 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  191 

derers  die — seemed  almost  too  hard  for  human  nature  to 
bear.  Then,  too,  the  prospect  of  a  future  world,  into 
which  they  were  thus  to  be  hurried,  without  a  moment's 
preparation,  was  black  and  appalling.  Most  of  them  had 
been  careless,  and  had  no  hope  beyond  the  grave,  Wil- 
son was  a  professed  infidel,  and  many  a  time  had  argued 
the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  with  me  for  half  a  day 
at  a  single  discussion  ;  but  in  this  awful  hour  he  said  to 
me  : 

"  '  Pittinger,  I  believe  you  are  right  now  !  Oh  !  try 
to  be  better  prepared  when  you  come  to  die  than  I  am.' 

"  Then,  laying  his  hand  on  my  head,  with  a  muttered 
'  God  bless  you,'  we  parted. 

"  Shadrack  was  profane  and  reckless,  but  good-heart- 
ed and  merry.  Now  turning  to  us,  with  a  voice  the 
forced  calmness  of  which  was  more  afiecting  than  a  wail 
of  agony,  he  said  : 

'' '  Boys,  I  am  not  prepared  to  meet  Jesus  ! ' 

"  Wlien  asked  by  some  of  us,  in  tears,  to  think  of 
heaven,  he  answered,  still  in  tones  of  thrilling  calmness, 
'  I'll  try  !  I'll  try  !  but  I  know  I  am  not  prepared  ! ' 

"  Slavens,  who  was  a  man  of  immense  strength  and 
iron  resolution,  turned  to  his  friend  Bufium,  and  could 
only  articulate  '  Wife — children — tell — '  when  utterance 
failed. 

"  Scott  was  married  only  three  days  before  he  came 
to  the  army,  and  the  thought  of  his  young  wife  nearly 


192  LIFE   OF   GENESAL   MITCHEL. 

drove  him  to  despair.  He  could  only  clasp  his  hands  in 
silent  agony. 

"  Ross  was  the  firmest  of  all.  His  eyes  beamed  with 
unnatural  light,  and  there  was  not  a  tremor  in  his  voice 
as  he  said : 

"  '  Tell  them  at  home,  if  any  of  you  escape,  that  I 
died  for  my  country,  and  did  not  regret  it.' 

"  All  this  transpired  in  a  moment,  and  even  the  Mar- 
shal and  other  officers  standing  by  him  in  the  door 
exclaimed  :  '  Hurry  up,  there  !  Come  on  !  we  can't 
wait ! ' 

"  In  this  manner  my  poor  comrades  were  hurried  off. 
Robinson,  who  was  too  sick  to  walk,  was  dragged  away 
with  them.  They  asked  leave  to  bid  farewell  to  our  other 
boys,  who  were  confined  in  the  adjoining  room,  but  it 
was  sternly  refused  !  Thus  we  parted.  We  saw  the 
death  cart  containing  our  comrades  drive  off,  surrounded 
by  cavalry.  In  about  an  hour  it  came  back  empty.  The 
tragedy  was  complete  !  " 

Wilson  asked  permission  to  speak  on  the  scaffold, 
which  was  granted,  doubtless  anticipating  something 
which  might  excuse  the  mm-der.  Instead  of  this  he 
made  to  his  Ravage  audience  a  calm,  earnest,  manly 
Union  speech.  He  assured  them  that  the  South  was 
wrong,  and  that  the  flag  of  our  country  would  again  wave 
over  the  very  soil  beneath  Ms  scaffold.  The  excited  crowd 
evidently  felt  the  appeal,  but  did  their  work  of  death. 


LIFE   OF    G ENSEAL   MITCHEL.  193 

Let  US  return  to  tlie  prison  and  the  group  still  within 
its  walls.     Adds  Pittinger  : 

"  There  were  tears  from  eyes  that  shrank  from  no 
danger.  But  I  could  not  shed  a  tear.  A  cloud  of  burn- 
ing heat  rushed  to  my  head  that  seemed  to  scorch  through 
every  vein.  Slowly  and  silently  the  moments  wore  on, 
and  no  one  ventured  to  whisper  of  hope.  At  last  some 
voice  suggested  that  we  should  seek  relief  in  prayer.  The 
very  idea  seemed  to  convey  consolation,  and  was  eagerly 
accepted.  Soon  we  knelt  around  the  bare  walls  of  our 
strange  sanctuary,  and,  with  bleeding  hearts,  drew  near 
the  throne  of  God.  Captain  Fry  first  led  us,  mingled 
with  sobs  and  strong  supplications.  Then  each  followed 
in  turn,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  and  even  these  were 
kneeling  with  the  rest.  As  the  twilight  deepened,  our 
devotional  exercises  grew  more  solemn.  In  the  lonely 
shadow  of  coming  night,  with  eternity  then  opening  tan- 
gibly  before  us,  and  standing  on  its  very  brink,  we  prayed 
with  a  fervor  that  those  who  dwell,  in  safety  can  scarcely 
conceive.  It  was  a  holy  hour  ;  and  if  the  angels  above 
ever  bend  from  their  bright  mansions  to  comfort  human 
sorrow,  I  do  believe  that  they  were  then  hovering  near. 
From  that  hour  I  date  the  birth  of  an  immortal  hope ; 
and  believe  that  many  of  my  companions,  also,  in  looking 
back,  wiU  realize  that  they  passed  from  death  to  life  in 
that  dreary  prison-room  !  " 

Toung  Pittinger  was  released  after  long  months  of 
9 


194  LITE   OF   GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

captivity,  and  became  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  which  he 
embraced  in  that  Atlanta  jail,  over  which  waves  the  Star- 
spangled  Banner ! 

I  need  not  tell  you  that  no  blame  attached  to  General 
Mitchel,  either  because  of  the  hazardous  nature  of  the 
expedition,  or  its  failure.  He  did  not  suggest  it ;  and  if 
he  had  done  so,  it  was  only  one  of  those  great  risks  some- 
times taken,  which,  if  successful,  would  have  been  a 
splendidly  heroic  affair ;  but  which,  in  this  melancholy 
result,  excites  but  little  interest.  Still  it  was  a  subor- 
dinate move  in  the  grand  marches  of  General  Mitchel, 
deserving  a  record  that  shall  immortalize  the  patriotic 
band  who  staked  their  lives  upon  its  high  design. 


CHAPTER  XVni. 

The  advance  of  the  Tliird  Division  to  Fayetteville— The  Old  Planter— The 
Slaves — The  Grand  March — Scenes  by  the  "Way — In  the  Eiver— The  mys- 
terious Night  March — The  Prize  Secured. 

nHEN  General  Mitchel  started  from  Shelbp'ille 
the  railroad  raiders  were  lost  from  view.  He 
had  heard  the  rebel  account  of  the  so-called 
defeat  of  General  Grant  at  Shiloh.  The  pos- 
sibility of  darkest  disaster  there  flung  a  dismal 
shadow  on  his  path  ;  but  his  chosen  goal  was  before  him. 
Cautiously,  rapidly,  he  moved  over  the  twenty  miles  to 
Fayetteville,  This  town  is  on  Elk  River,  nearly  south 
of  the  former,  on  Duck  River.  Here  General  Mitchel 
prepared  to  lead  the  Third  Division  forward  to  Hunts- 
ville  ;  the  entire  force  was  to  act  with  the  leader  in  the 
division  in  advance.  April  10th  he  was  at  Fayetteville. 
Then  commenced  another  forced  march  unsurpassed  in 
modern  warfare. 

You  will  learn  what  the  ''boys"  thought  of  Fayette- 


196  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

ville  by  an  extract  from  a  letter  written  just  after  they 
left  it :  "  Tlie  order  to  march  from  Fayetteville  was  re- 
ceived with  pleasure  —  a  pleasure  which  was  slightly 
annoyed  vnih  regret  that  we  had  not  destroyed  the  town. 
It  is  a  miserable  little  secession  hole  ;  and  the  shameful 
insult  that  had  been  oiFered  to  our  flag  of  truce,  with  the 
threatening  and  scowling  and  searching  looks  of  the  in- 
habitants whenever  they  showed  themselves  at  the  win- 
dows of  their  houses,  to  which  General  Mitchel  had  or- 
dered them,  had  pretty  thoroughly  angered  us  against 
them.  Nothing  would  have  pleased  the  boys  better  than 
to  have  given  the  rascals  a  lesson  which  w^ould  never 
have  departed  from  their  memory,  provided,  after  the 
lesson,  they  had  any  memory  left." 

How  gently  in  those  days  we  did  deal  v/ith  foes  who 
scoffed  and  cursed  in  return  !  It  was  well  intended,  but 
sadly-mistaken  kindness  ;  quite  as  much  so  as  indulgence 
of  a  wilful  and  rebellious  child,  whose  greatest  need  is  a 
thorough  whipping.  It  was  not  according  to  our  hero's 
views  of  the  warfare. 

When  the  troops  crossed  the  boundary  of  Alabama 
they  found  quite  a  number  of  Union  men.  Meeting  a 
venerable  planter,  he  was  questioned  closely  :  "It  seemed 
like  tearing  out  my  heart  to  give  up  the  old  Union,"  he 
said;  " but  when  Alabama  voted  to  separate,  I  thought 
it  my  duty  to  sustain  her." 

^*  But  Alabama,  in  attempting  to  break  up  the  na- 


LIFE   OF    GEXEKAL   MITCHEL.  197 

tion,  did  -wliat  she  had  no  right  to  do,"  replied  the 
volunteer. 

"  Ah  !  "  responded  the  aged  gentleman,  "  passion  and 
prejudice  blinded  our  eyes  to  that  truth." 

"  Are  you  willing,  then,  to  see  the  authority  of  the  na- 
tional Government  restored  ?  "  was  the  next  inquiry. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  planter,  "  and  to  pray  from  this  time 
forth  that  all  her  people  may  be  willing  to  return  to  their 
allegiance." 

And  then  the  heroes  went  "  marching  on,"  in  doubt 
whether  the  old  slaveholder,  after  all,  didn't  mean  to 
go  with  Alabama  whatever  her  course.  Soon  after  the 
troops  moved  along  the  line  of  the  rebel  General  L.  P. 
"Walker's  plantation,  an  immense  estate,  extending  for 
miles  beside  the  road.  The  stately  mansion  was  deserted, 
and  the  furniture  gone.  Instead  of  "  fair  women  and 
brave  men,"  it  poured  forth  negroes  in  a  throng,  who 
came  to  see  the  northern  invaders.  They  laughed  hys- 
terically, they  sang,  they  danced  in  their  childlike  glee. 

"  By  golly,"  exclaimed  an  athletic,  intelligent  young 
negro,  "  Tse  a  great  notion  to  go  along  with  dis  crowd. 
What  do  you  say,  massa  ?  " 

"  My  poor  friend,"  was  the  reply,  "  if  you  do  you 
will  probably  be  turned  out  of  our  lines  the  first  place  v/e 
encamp.  Somebody  who  claims  you  will  come  and  take 
you  back  ;  and  besides  being  severely  punished  for  running 
away,  you  will  in  every  respect  be  worse  off  than  before." 


198  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

"  It  is  very  hard,  massa,"  he  resumed.  His  voice 
trembled,  the  tears  were  gathering  in  his  eyes,  and  the 
volunteer  confesses  he  had  to  ride  away  to  hide  his  own. 
But  such  was  our  ^''policy"  then.  One  of  General  "Walk- 
er's plantation  houses  was  in  flames,  but  how  it  was  fired 
no  one  seemed  to  know. 

The  next  striking  incident  along  the  march  was  meet- 
ing a  negro  of  the  same  plantation,  with  a  heavy  iron 
ring  and  bolt  fastened  to  his  leg. 

"  How  long  have  you  worn  that?"  asked  a  cavahy- 
man. 

"  Three  months,  massa,"  answered  the  slave. 

The  trooper  slid  from  his  horse,  knocked  off  the 
fetters,  fastened  them  to  his  saddle,  and  rode  off,  mutter- 
ing :  "  I  would  forfeit  a  year's  pay  for  the  privilege  of 
transferring  them  to  the  leg  of  the  rascal  who  put  them 
on  that  man."      That  is  slavery. 

It  must  have  been  a  splendid  sight — ^those  columns, 
like  a  solid  mass,  moved  by  a  single  genius,  rushing  for- 
ward to,,  surprise  the  enemy,  hour  after  hour,  over  field, 
'through  forest,  and  across  streams,  as  if  unconscious  of 
fatigue.  If  a  rebel  is  caught  he  is  sent  to  the  rear,  so 
that  he  may  give  no  intelligence  to  his  friends. 

On — on — the  troops,  inspired  with  their  chieftain's 
ardor,  press.  The  bayonets  gleam,  the  artillery  thunders 
along,  the  horses  seem  to  prance  with  sympathetic  haste, 
and  jokes  pass  from  rank  to  rank  to  cheer  the  brave  hearts 


LITE    OF    GEXEKAL    MITCHEL.  190 

on  the  way.  Broad  plantations,  verdant  woods,  flashing 
waters  recede  in  the  distance,  as  the  battalions  march 
toward  the  unsuspecting  enemy.  The  sun  goes  down  on 
the  scene,  reflected  from  gold,  silver,  and  steel,  with  no 
sign  of  faltering  in  the  "  boys."  Suddenly  they  came  to 
a  stream  wide  and  deep.  There  were  no  boats,  no 
bridges.  That  night  they  must  cross  to  reach  the  goal  in 
the  morning.  The  pause  is  brief.  In  the  gloom  General 
Mitchel  flies  on  his  steed  along  the  lines,  and  says  :  "  My 
boys,  there  is  but  one  chance  for  us.  Will  you  plunge  in 
with  me  ?  "  A  hurrah — and  in  they  dash.  The  waters 
surge  around  them  in  the  shadows,  vexed,  as  never  before, 
by  an  armed  host,  darkening  all  the  flood.  Emerging  from 
the  baptism  for  the  next  day's  stern  and  perilous  work, 
they  built  their  camp-fires  and  prepared  for  sleep.  While 
General  Mitchel  was  sitting  by  his  crackling  flame,  with 
no  other  mark  of  a  chieftain's  headquarters,  a  soldier 
leading  a  negro  came  into  its  glare,  the  first  prisoner  of 
the  raid.  The  astonished  captive  stood  in  mute  suspense 
before  the  commander,  who  said  mildly  to  him : 

"  Well,  what  have  you  to  say?" 

"  Massa,  dey  going  to  eat  you  up  down  dare  in  Hunts- 
ville.     Dey  got  five  thousand  troops  down  there,  sir." 

"  How  do  you  know  that?" 

"  I  heard  my  massa  say  so  at  supper  table  to-night. 
I've  come  out  of  HuntsviUe,  and  am  sure  of  it.  De 
trains  come  in,  locomotives  whistle,  five  of  'em.     Each 


200  LIFE    OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

of  'em  brought  a  thousand  soldiers.  Many  beside  dare 
before  ;  and  dej  'stroj  you  certain,  sir." 

It  was  likely  enough  to  be  true  so  far  as  troops  were 
concerned.  On  their  way  to  Corinth  they  might  be  ready 
to  welcome  the  bold  adventurers  with  their  fresh  and  su- 
perior force.  No  matter  ;  the  die  was  cast.  No  thought 
of  retreat  or  hesitation  stole  over  a  single  mind.  Then 
nature  yielded  to  the  demand  for  repose.  Soundly  slept 
the  wet  heroes  till  two  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

General  Mitchel,  awaking  from  brief  slumber,  went 
through  the  camp  with  the  muffled  voice  and  step  of  a 
spirit  from  the  dark  depths  of  the  forest.  No  drum 
beat,  no  signal  gun  distm-bed  the  silence.  The  whispered 
words  were  few.  But  the  legions  rose  as  if  by  magic  in 
Hne  of  march,  waiting  for  the  word  of  command  to  'dash- 
forward.  To  each  regiment,  while  moving  past  him  to 
receive  his  final  orders  of  advance,  he  said  :  "^  Now,  boys, 
perfect  silence  ;  not  a  word  to  be  uttered.  Move  straight 
forward,  and  let  not  the  enemy  know  that  you  are  ad- 
vancing by  any  sound  whatever." 

Never  was  a  chieftain's  command  more  faithfully 
obeyed.  A  more  spectral  march  of  living  men  was 
never  seen.  The  well-drilled  thousands  swept  along 
with  no  sound  but  the  faint  echoes  of  hoof  and  wheel 
in  the  gloom  of  waning  night. 

Impressive,  marvellous  scene  !  That  fragment  of  the 
national  army,  separated  by  more  than  a  hundred  miles 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL    MITCHEL.  201 

of  hostile  land  from  the  rest  of  it,  fearlessly,  noiselessly 
threading  unknov/n  paths  in  twilight  shadow,  to  strike  at 
a  vital  point  the  unsuspecting  traitors.  So  still  is  that 
march  that  the  columns  go  through  a  small  town  five  miles 
from  Huntsville  without  waking  a  sleeper.  The  whole 
force  defile  through  the  streets,  brushing  the  very  thresh- 
old of  dwellings  ;  and  when  the  sun  shines  on  the  risen 
inhabitants,  not  one  of  them  knows  that  the  brave  host 
have  been  there.  Scarcely  an  hour  after  that  hamlet  of 
unmolested  rebels  is  passed  in  the  reddening  dawn,  an  ad- 
vance force  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry,  together  with 
a  part  of  Captain  Simonson's  battery,  assisted  by  Lieut- 
enant M.  Allen,  the  whole  under  the  charge  of  Colonel 
K  jnnett,  first  catch  a  gKmpse  of  Huntsville  and  the  beau- 
tiful cedars  surrounding  it.  They  icant  to  shout ;  but  not 
a  sound  breaks  in  upon  the  death-like  stillness. 

There  lies  the  prize  of  long,  sometimes  wet  and  weary 
marching.  No  herald  has  apprised  the  unsuspecting  in- 
habitants of  the  danger  near.  The  morning  faintly  kin- 
dles, as  hitherto,  upon  the  hills  and  roofs  of  fancied 
security.  The  iron  track  gleams  in  the  morning  light ; 
workmen,  in  their  humble  dwellings  along  its  line,  as  un- 
conscious as  itself  of  the  advent  of  new  managers  and 
hands  to  run  the  road.  But  the  decisive  blow  will  be  no 
martial  pastime.  The  troops  understand  the  game  and 
the  stake.  To  seize  the  great  path  of  transportation  and 
travelling,  cuttin;,'  the  communication  between  the  rich 
9* 


202  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   iMTTCHEL. 

and  boundless  West,  and  tlie  blockaded,  war-ravaged 
East,  might  be  no  very  difficult  move.  To  apply  the 
torch  to  the  extensive  machine  shops  running  day  and 
night  for  the  Confederacy,  and  make  a  bonfire  of  the 
depots  piled  with  army  supplies  of  material,  might  not 
cost  much  conflict  or  time.  But  General  Mitchel  knew 
his  perilous  ground,  even  mth  this  accomplished. 

Nearly  east  was  the  stronghold  of  Chattanooga,  where 
the  defiant  foe  challenged  the  strength  of  the  Union  army. 
A  little  further  west  was  Corinth,  whose  fortunes  for  the 
few  days  of  his  s>viffc  march  had  been  changing,  he  knew 
not  how.  The  report  was  that  they  were  greatly  im- 
proved by  our  defeat.  Instead  of  such  disaster,  the 
country  was  wild  with  excitement  over  the  enemj^s 
repulse. 

General  Grant  had  stemmed  the  overwhelming  tide 
of  rebellion,  and,  reenforced  by  General  Buell,  had  rolled 
it  back  toward  Corinth.  Congress  paused  to  hear  and 
cheer  over  the  telegram,  and  a  salute  of  a  hundred  guns 
thundered  forth  the  jubilant  joy  from  the  national  capital. 
General  Mitchel  had  no  signal  of  the  victory. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

General  Mitcliel  enters  Huntsrille — The  Union  Flag  and  the  Loyal  Judge — The 
Scenes  in  the  Town — Bridges  Burned — Bridgeport — Decatur — Tuscumbia — ■ 
Congratulations— A  brilliant  attack  on  the  enemy  at  Bridgeport — Ad- 
vancing in  the  cheerful  morning  air. 

yi^^)HE  advance  dashed  forward  on  double-quick, 
jCILpv  when  two  locomotives  came  puffing  toward 
them.  A  flash,  and  the  first  artillery  thunder 
broke  the  stillness,  and  was  the  order  to  stop.  One 
of  the  engineers  tried  to  escape,  when  another 
command  from  the  brazen  orator  of  freedom  brought  him 
to  a  halt.  In  a  twinkling  away  dashed  the  first  engine 
and  train,  and  the  cavalry  after  it ;  a  hundred  and  fifty 
Gilpins  chasing  the  iron  horse  ten  miles^  with  the  speed  of 
the  wind.  The  whole  force  now  came  up.  Troops  are 
suddenly  seen  moving  toward  the  right,  and  stealing 
toward  the  railroad.  Another  swept  away  to  the  left. 
Both  were  armed  with  the  roughest  implements  of  war, 
iron  bar  and  "  pick,"  to  destroy  not  human,  but  business 
life.     Tljeir  attack  was  to  be  directed  to  the  unoffending 


204  LIFE    OF   GEXERAL    MITCHEL. 

metal  and  wood.  See  yonder  another  bodv  of  soldiers 
moving  toward  the  town — and  tliere^  another.  TThy  is 
this  division  of  strength  ?  It  is  not  the  bloody  encounter 
the  J  expect  or  seek,  but  the  capture,  without  a  gun  or 
shot,  of  depot,  telegraph  office,  and  every  other  valuable 
public  building  of  the  city.  Quietly  they  advance  ;  no 
sign  of  expectation  of  the  visit  appears.  The  brightening 
sky  bends  over  a  slumbering  people. 

The  word  of  command  to  move  on  Huntsville  is 
passed  along  the  lines.  General  Mitchel  leads  the  troops 
into  the  startled  to^n.  Like  the  lightning  flash  the  alarm 
flies  over  the  city.  The  first  notes  of  terror  are  the 
screams  of  locomotives,  making  haste  to  escape  with 
their  trains.  But  they  soon  find  the  end  of  the  track — 
the  iron  bar  and  pickaxe  have  been  there  before  them. 
East  and  west  the  puffing  engines  stop.  The  operator 
hastens  to  the  telegraph  office  to  announce  to  friends  who 
-may  come  to  the  rescue,  the  advent  of  the  "  Yankees  ; " 
but  a  new  occupant  is  there.  The  depot  master  and 
others  rush  to  the  storehouse  of  supplies  to  destroy,  but 
armed  men  have  the  needed  freight  under  bayonet  charge. 

But  look  !  Over  that  excited  population,  from  a  slender 
flagstaff  on  a  private  mansion,  the  national  ensign  is  float- 
ing in  the  breeze.  TVTiat  can  it  mean  ?  for  it  was  there 
when  the  "  Third  Division  "  reached  the  city.  A  brave 
patriot  lives  under  those  starry  folds. 

The  Hon.  Judge  Lane  accepted  the  appointment  to  the 


LIFE   OF    GENEEAL   :MITCHEL.  205 

judicial  bench  from  President  Lincoln,  soon  after  his  inau- 
guration. He  knew  the  dangers  of  the  position.  The  South 
had  entered  upon  the  mad  work  of  resistance  to  the  lawful 
Administration,  hurling  denunciation  upon  those  who  ap- 
proved it.  But  Judge  Lane  was  a  man  of  resolute  will 
and  courage.  He  told  his  angry  fellow-citizens  that  he 
intended  to  perform,  according  to  his  ability,  the  duties 
of  his  office  regardless  of  their  displeasure.  The  infu- 
riated mob  surged  around  his  dwelling,  and  threatened 
both  it  and  himself. 

"  Resign  !  resign  !  "  was  the  loud  demand. 

"  I  am  ready  to  die,"  he  replied,  "  for  my  country,  if 
necessary  ;  but  I  am  a  loyal  man  to  my  Government,  and 
shall  remain  so  till  death." 

To  leave  no  shadow  of  doubt  on  the  minds  of  the  as- 
tonished traitors,  he  seized  a  flag  of  the  Union,  and  bore 
it  to  the  top  of  his  house ^  saying,  that  "  whoever  dared 
attempt  to  tear  it  down,  would  have  to  pass  over  his 
dead  body." 

This  sublime  moral  courage  and  defiance,  seemed 
to  awe  the  exasperated  haters  of  the  old  flag,  and  they 
did  not  venture  on  further  violence. 

Are  you  not  reminded  of  the  gallant  Ellsworth  ?  He 
died  tearing  down  the  banner  of  treason  ;  and  we  cannot 
help  feeling  that  his  heroism  had  in  it  a  dash  of  rashness — » 
that  his  valuable  life  might,  without  that^  have  been  spared. 

Judge  Lane's  safety,  on  the  contrary,  depended  ou 


206  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

fearlessness  ;  and  the  cause  he  loved,  called  for  the  manly 
scorn  of  the  treasonable  tlirong.  He  was  one  of  the  few 
in  the  Cotton  States,  who  continued  unseduced  and  un- 
moved amid  the  bribery  and  threats  of  the  lawless  con-* 
spirators  against  the  Republic.  The  citizens  of  Hunts- 
ville  were  unarmed,  and  many  of  them  undressed^  when 
the  footsteps  of  the  gallant  invaders  echoed  through  the 
streets.  It  was  too  evident  that  no  defence  could  be 
made  successfully  to  attempt  it,  and  the  town  surrendered 
to  the  abhorred  defenders  of  the  starry  flag  of  the  Union. 

Sixteen  locomotives,  and  a  hundred  cars,  fell  into  our 
hands.  Indeed,  all  the  resources  of  the  important  place 
came  under  tlie  new  administration  without  injury,  the 
surprise  was  so  complete  and  admirably  conducted. 
General  Mitchel  ascertained  in  an  hour,  through  his 
proper  officer,  the  exact  condition  and  availabihty  of  the 
railroad.  The  means  of  transportation  were  sufficient 
for  moving  his  forces  to  any  desii'ed  point  on  its  track. 
If  you  turn  again  to  the  map,  you  will  notice  that  the 
Tennessee  River  in  its  southerly  course  bends  into  Ala- 
bama, and  is  crossed  eastwardly  from  Huntsville  at 
Bridgeport  by  the  railway,  and  westwardly  at  Decatur, 
which  is  south  of  Nashville » 

General  Mitchel  decided  at  once  to  send  an  expedi- 
tion to  each,  and  burn  the  noble  structures,  to  cut  off  the 
approach  of  enemies.  He  commanded  the  one  toward 
Chattanooga  ;  Colonel  Turchin  the  one  in  the  direction  of 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  207 

Corinth.  General  Mitchel  stopped  at  Stevenson,  a  town  at 
the  junction  of  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  Railroad 
with  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad,  on  which 
Huntsville  stands,  to  secure  whatever  was  valuable  to 
him  at  that  important  connection.  He  then  went  on,  and 
applied  the  torch  to  the  Bridgeport  bridges.  He  was  now 
secure  from  an  attack  by  an  advance  from  either  direc- 
tion by  the  railroad.  On  Saturday  he  reached  Huntsville 
again.     The  work  of  destruction  for  safety  was  all  done. 

The  Sabbath  dawned.  General  Mitchel  loved  this 
sacred  pause  in  the  world's  busy  life.  Could  he  have 
acted  with  his  feelings,  the  day  would  have  been  given  up 
to  devout  thanksgiving,  and  entire  rest  from  military 
movements,  and  even  plans.  But  war  has  no  holy  time  ; 
and  without  a  mutual  agreement  by  the  hostile  armies,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  keep  the  day.  And  even  then,  it 
would  be  extremely  difficult  to  regulate  the  marches  and 
battles  with  regard  to  its  observance.  On  that  morning, 
when,  all  over  the  loyal  States,  the  sound  of  the  church 
bells  floated  over  the  peaceful  homes,  the  cars  were  con- 
veying General  Mitchel  to  Decatur. 

What  a  Sabbath  it  was  there,  and  beyond !  The 
enemy  was  flying  in  terror,  the  excited  imagination 
magnifying  the  number  of  the  Union  troops,  and  creatine 
an  unreal  fear  of  their  nearness.  The  smoke  of  burning 
bridges  left  in  the  wake  of  retreat,  rose  here  and  there, 
thB  oflering  to  Mars  from  those  plains  of  slavery. 


208  LITE   OF    GENERAL   MITCH  EL. 

General  Mitcliel  hastened  forward  liis  troops  in 
hot  pursuit.  The  chase  was  continued  to  Tuscumbia, 
about  half  way  to  Corinth,  and  opposite  Florence,  on  the 
other  bank  of  the  river.  It  is  in  Franklin  County,  Ala- 
bama, a  mile  from  the  Tennessee  River.  There  is  here 
a  cm-iosity.  From  a  fissure  in  the  solid  limestone  rock, 
a  living  spring  gushes  forth,  discharging  from  the  smooth, 
pure  mouth,  twenty  thousand  cubic  feet  of  water  every 
minute.  What  a  blessing  such  a  fountain  will  be  if  ever 
a  large  city  supplants  with  northern  enterprise  the  quiet 
village  !     It  is  sixty-seven  miles  from  Huntsville. 

Here  he  communicated  with  the  "  Department  of  the 
Mississippi,"  where  General  Grant  was  getting  ready  to 
move  on  Corinth.  His  despatches  to  General  Buell,  dated 
at  Tuscumbia,  gave  an  account  of  his  brilliant  successes 
in  modest  language.  This  very  cautious  officer,  superior 
only  in  command,  read  them  with  surprise,  if  not  regret. 
The  comparatively  new  general  had  made  a  clear  track 
for  the  Union  troops,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  across 
the  rebel  State  of  Alabama.  The  brief  period,  the  un- 
surpassed boldness  and  heroism  of  the  achievement,  start- 
led and  gladdened  loyal  hearts  all  over  the  land.  Think 
of  it — in  two  days  from  the  morning  he  came  like  a  whirl- 
wind upon  Huntsville,  that  entire  distance  had  changed 
hands  ;  dilapidated  locomotives  were  completely  repaired, 
and  every  thing  pertaining  to  the  road  was  in  running 
order.     The  shops  rang  with  the  sound  of  "  Yankee " 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  209 

blows,  the  engineers  had  on  their  caps  the  "  U.  S,"  and 
the  whole  was  guarded  by  northern  volunteers.  Mean- 
while, a  new  time-table  was  prepared  and  printed,  to 
guide  the  conductors,  who,  had  they  been  caught  there 
unarmed  and  with  no  evil  design^  three  days  before,  would 
have  ridden  on  quite  a  different  rail.  You  can  imagine 
the  amazement,  alarm,  and  rage,  which  made  all  this  seem 
like  a  horrid  dream  to  the  inhabitants.  And  you  will  be 
interested  in  General  ISIitchel's  spirited  congratulations  to 
his  troops,  in  which  he  sums  up  the  brilliant  exploits  of 
the  few  days  before. 

Headquarters,  Third  Ditisiox.  ) 

Camp  Taylor,  Huntsville,  April  16,  1862.  ) 

Soldiers :  Your  march  upon  Bowling  Green  won  the 
thanks  and  confidence  of  our  commanding  general.  With 
engines  and  cars  captured  from  the  enemy,  our  advanced 
guard  .precipitated  itself  upon  Nashville.  It  was  now 
made  your  duty  to  seize  and  destroy  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  Railway,  the  great  military  road  of  the  enemy. 
With  a  supply-train  only  sufficient  to  feed  you  at  a  dis- 
tance of  two  days'  march  from  your  depot,  you  undertook 
the  herculean  task  of  rebuilding  twelve  hundred  feet  of 
heavy  bridging,  which,  by  your  untiring  energy,  was  ac- 
complished in  ten  days.  Thus,  by  a  railway  of  your  o^^ti 
construction,  your  depot  of  supplies  was  removed  from 
Nashville  to  Shelby ville,  nearly  sixty  miles  in  the  direction 
of  the  object  of  your  attack.     The  blow  now  became  prac- 


210  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

ticable.  Marching  with  a  celerity  such  as  to  outstrip  any 
messenger  who  might  have  attempted  to  announce  your 
coming,  you  fell  upon  HuntsviUe,  taking  your  enemy  com- 
pletely by  surprise,  and  capturing  not  only  his  great  mili- 
tary road,  but  all  his  machine-shops  and  rolling  stock. 
Thus  providing  yourselves  with  ample  transportation,  you 
have  struck  blow  after  blow  with  a  rapidity  unparalleled. 
Stevenson  fell,  sixty  miles  to  the  east  of  HuntsviUe.  De- 
catur and  Tuscumbia  have  been  in  like  manner  seized, 
and  are  now  occupied.  In  three  days  you  have  extended 
your  front  of  operations  zQore  than  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles,  and  your  morning  gun  at  Tuscumbia  may 
now  be  heard  by  your  comrades  on  the  battle  field  made 
glorious  by  the  victory  before  Corinth.  A  communica- 
tion of  these  facts  to  headquarters  has  not  only  now  the 
thanks  of  our  commanding  general,  but  those  of  the  De- 
partment of  War,  which  I  announce  to  you  with  proud 
satisfaction.  Accept  the  thanks  of  your  commander,  and 
let  your  future  deeds  demonstrate  that  you  can  surpass 
yourselves.     By  order  of 

Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchel. 

Having  determined  to  attack  the  enemy  at  Bridgeport 
on  the  29th,  General  Mitchel  was  within  three  miles  of 
the  town,  after  a  rapid  and  most  difficult  march.  Here 
he  encountered  the  enemy's  pickets.  "Crack!  crack!" 
sound  the  rifles,  and  away  they  fly.     The  valorous  chief 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   IMTTCHEL.  211 

hurries  on  to  the  railway  bridge  which  he  had  burned, 
and  by  a  feint  of  general  attack  there,  makes  the  rebels 
believe  the  trial  of  strength  has  come.  Meanwhile,  form- 
ing with  the  artillery  in  the  centre,  the  Thirty-third  and 
vSecond  Ohio  on  the  right,  and  the  Tenth  and  Twenty- 
first  Ohio  on  the  left,  he  sweeps  round  hefiueen  two  divisions 
of  the  foe,  toward  the  crest  of  a  hill  overlooking  his  en- 
trenchments. Daring  stroke  of  strategy  !  He  is  between 
two  mill-stones — if  they  discern  the  move,  and  can  grind 
them  together  before  he  is  able  to  defeat  them,  he  will 
be  hopelessly  crushed.  But  with  superhuman  energy 
he  presses  across  the  ground,  and  up  the  slope.  Now 
look !  There  in  battle  array  stands  Mitchers  brigade, 
almost  under  it  are  the  enemy's  works.  The  first  alarm 
had  startled  the  troops  to  arms,  but  their  fears  had  sub- 
sided in  the  lull  of  his  advance  over  the  country,  the  very 
cause  of  greatest  alarm  had  they  known  it.  The  Sabbath 
sun  is  sinking  in  the  west.  His  farewell  beams  fall  in 
dazzling  splendor  on  the  stacked  arms  of  the  regiments, 
who  have  coolly  gone  to  supper. 

Major  Loomis,  a  brave  officer,  steps  forward  to  the 
very  edge  of  the  summit,  and  gazes  down  upon  the  rebels, 
counting  their  number.  Then  falling  back,  he  gives  the 
command  to  fire.  Oh !  watch  those  shells  and  balls 
crushing  through  the  lines  of  men  at  the  table  of  the 
evening  repast.  Blood  and  fragments  of  flesh  are  the 
quick  response.     Then  a  rush  to  arms,  another  discharge 


212  LIFE   OF   GEIx^EEAL   MITCHEL. 

of  our  artillery,  and  the  rebels  retreat,  firing  the  noble 
bridge  for  the  public  travel  as  they  go.  General  Mitchel 
hastens  forward  to  save  it.  It  rested  on  an  island,  and 
he  rescues  from  the  flames  the  main  structure  extending 
from  this  natural  abutment. 

The  general,  anticipating  a  reenforcement  by  the 
other  division  of  the  enemy  upon  the  railroad,  hasten- 
ed to  that  part  of  the  field.  Soon  the  fresh  troops  came 
dashing  down  the  line  in  splendid  style — ^the  body  of  cav- 
alry making  an  imposing  and  martial  appearance,  which 
drew  forth  the  spontaneous  admiration  of  our  men.  The 
Union  artillery  opened,  cutting  a  gap  in  a  moment  through 
the  chivalrous  ranks.  The  deadly  greeting  was  repeated, 
and  then  the  horses'  heads  were  turned  for  flight — "  the 
red  field  was  won." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Practical  Questions — The  Enemy  must  pay  the  Army  Expenses — The  Trials 
of  Loyalty — General  Mitchel  believed  in  crushing  the  Kebellion— The  Cot- 
ton Bridge — Slavery — ^Negroes  reliable — Anecdote. 

nEVEE-AL  questions  now  tried  the  wisdom  and 
ability  of  General  Mitchel.  The  first  was,  how 
to  hold  the  conquered  territory  in  the  midst  of 
enemies.  From  Nashville  to  Decatur  the  road 
was  open,  and  it  was  not  difficult  to  get  sufficient 
food  for  the  troops.  But  the  poor  horses — their  racks  and 
mangers  were  empty,  or  scantily  supplied.  These  "  un- 
armed heroes  "  must  starve  unless  forage  is  obtained  from 
the  country  around  them.  General  Mitchel's  comprehen- 
sive and  practical  genius  is  equal  to  the  emergency.  A 
good  man  is  always  merciful  to  the  brute.  No  surer  evi- 
dence of  a  narrow  or  base  mind,  than  cruelty  to  the  de- 
pendent animal,  can  be  given.  Not  only  was  humanity  a 
conspicuous  quality  of  General  Mitchel's  character,  but 
horses  and  mules  are  as  needful  as  men  in  war  ;  that  is  to 
'say,  they  are  indispensable,  and  they  must  be  fed. 


214:  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    MITCHEL. 

The  sagacious  commander  set  his  scribes  to  "vvork. 
These  were  Union  men  whose  principles  had  been  tried, 
like  Judge  Lane's,  abnost  in  the  flames  of  martyrdom. 
It  was  easy  to  complete  this  roll  of  honor — the  list  of  the 
faithful  amid  treachery. 

3Iy  reader,  it  is  impossible  for  jou  to  realize  the  trial 
of  loyalty  in  the  Border  and  Cotton  States.  No  ordeal 
excepting  the  inquisition,  and  manifold  tortures  of  Papal 
persecutions  in  the  centuries  past,  compares  with  it. 
Demons  abroad  could  have  done  no  more  to  vex  and 
ruin.  For  no  other  crime  than  loyalty  to  the  old  flag, 
unofiending  citizens  were  taken  from  their  place  of  busi- 
ness, or  on  the  highway,  and  shot  or  hung.  Dwellings 
v/ere  burned,  and  helpless  women  and  childi'en  left  roof- 
less in  the  dead  of  night  and  A\anter.  I  knew  a  widow 
who  Yv'as  living  in  that  region  of  rebel  povv'^er,  who,  be- 
cause her  husband  had  joined  the  Union  army,  when  he 
was  at  home  on  a  short  furlough  was  ^dsited  by  a  band 
of  rebels.  He  was  demanded,  but  she  refused  to  tell 
them  where  he  was.  Searching  they  found  him,  and 
fired  upon  him,  wounding  him.  He  fled  to  the  yard, 
when  several  bullets  soon  finished  the  work  of  death. 
Reentering  the  house,  they  asked  for  the  rest  of  the 
family.  She  had  hidden  a  son  in  the  chimney.  They 
then  made  preparations  to  burn  the  dwelling  before  the 
tearful  face  of  the  mother,  taking  the  last  blanket  from  a 
sick  child.     When  she  asked  for  her  husband,  "  Oh,"  tho 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  215 

fiends  replied,  "you'll  find  him  in  the  yard."  "You 
haven't  murdered  him ! "  With  a  wife's  frantic  affec- 
tion she  flew  to  the  lawn,  and  there  beneath  the  watch- 
ful stars  lay  the  pierced  and  bleeding  body.  But  she 
was  a  mother  too,  and  hastened  again  to  plead  for  her 
children.  Destitute  and  bereaved,  the  traitors  left  her  at 
length,  hurling  back  curses  on  the  midnight  air. 

The  tragical  incident  is  an  illustration  of  common 
scenes,  varying  in  the  degree  of  atrocity,  belting  the 
broad  land  from  the  Carolinas  to  the  Western  territories. 
General  Mitchel  soon  obtained  from  the  tried  loyalists 
the  long  list  of  open,  determined  rebels.  He  had  also 
the  names  of  the  smaller  number  of  the  once  loyal,  who, 
yielding  to  the  terrible  sweep  of  the  current  of  secession, 
were  borne  on  its  angry  bosom.  When  the  enroUment 
of  the  citizens  was  completed,  General  Mitchel  sent  an 
order  to  the  undisguised  enemies  of  the  Union,  demand- 
ing a  correct  statement  of  the  contents  of  their  granaries. 
The  hay  and  grain,  with  supplies  of  every  kind,  were  to  be 
truthfully  stated.  The  number  of  their  horses  and  mules 
was  included  in  the  required  memoranda ;  for  the  com- 
manding general  intended  to  provide  for,  and  if  wanted, 
use  them.  Any  concealment  or  treachery  in  the  trans- 
action, if  suspected,  Avould  be  thoroughly  searched  out, 
and  receive  the  merited  punishment.  General  Mitchel 
was  just,  but  no  trifler  with  rebellion.  The  enemy  saw 
•  that  he  meant  all  he  said,  and  made   correct  returns. 


^16  LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

Excepting  a  sufficient  allowance  for  the  plantations,  noth- 
ing could  be  used,  nothing  sold  or  given  away,  without 
his  permission. 

It  was  a  principle  with  him,  and  in  that  regard  he 
was  in  advance  of  a  majority  of  the  Union  officers,  and 
even  statesmen,  to  spare  no  rebel  interest  which  sustained 
the  revolt,  and  employ  whatever  resources  of  success  in 
subduing  it,  he  found  on  hostile  soil.  The  rebellion  was 
"evil  and  only  evil,  and  that  continually"  in  his  view. 
1^0  affectation  of  charity  for  our  "  misguided  brethren" 
lightened  the  pressure  of  his  hand  on  the  foes  of  his 
country.  In  this  respect  he  resembled  the  pioneer  in 
right  opinions  and  action,  General  Butler.  No  king  ever 
ruled  vdth  more  unquestioned  power,  and  more  nobly, 
for  the  cause  of  freedom  and  the  Union,  than  he  did  in 
New  Orleans.  General  Mitchel  comprehended  likewise 
the  real  issue,  and  the  people  we  had  to  deal  with,  in 
saving  the  nation. 

When  the  census  was  finished,  he  directed  his  quarter- 
master to  go  the  traitors,  and  demand  a  tenth  of  their 
possessions  which  were  useful  to  his  army.  Watch  the 
officer  at  the  door  of  that  elegant  mansion,  in  which  the 
proud  planter  stands. 

"  We  have  called  with  an  order  from  the  general  to 
get  suppHes,"  quietly  says  the  officer. 

The  planter  growls,  wants  to  resist,  but  yields,  and 
directs  his  slave  to  "  load  up."     This  scene  is  repeated 


LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   :^^TCHEL.  217 

till  the  desii'ed  quantity  is  received.  The  rebels  then 
present  their  bills,  which  are  promptly  paid. 

By  this  means  General  Mitchel  supplies  his  army, 
and  robbed  no  man.  His  severity  was  the  severity  of 
justice.  The  foe  had  to  support  the  military  visitors  with 
a  hospitality  compelled  by  the  sword,  and  bribed  by  the 
price  in  "  greenbacks."  And  who  furnished  the  "  green- 
backs"? The  re&e?s,  indirectly,  as  you  will  see.  And  in 
the  way  it  was  done,  you  have  another  fine  illustration  of 
the  general's  engineering  ability  and  energy.  Like  Grant, 
he  was  practical,  on  the  alert,  and  thorough  in  his  work. 
Marching  along,  one  day,  he  came  in  sight  of  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  fort.  It  was  a  huge  pile,  in  spots  white  as 
the  snow.  Advancing,  he  saw  near  it  the  ruins  of  a 
bridge  he  wanted,  which  the  enemy  had  burned.  In  a 
few  moments  more  it  was  all  plain  enough.  The  rebels 
had  made  a  defensive  work  of  cotton,  to  guard  the  bridge 
before  the  torch  was  applied.  Five  hundred  bales  of  it 
were  piled  there,  and  either  because  in  too  great  haste, 
or  not  apprehending  its  capture,  they  had  not  made  of  it  a 
bonfire.     Of  course  it  was  laAvful  plunder. 

But  there  is  a  more  important  question  first  to  be  an- 
swered— ^hov7  shall  he  get  over  the  river  ?  The  deep  cur- 
rent rolls  in  a  channel  three  hundred  yards  wide,  between 
his  troops  and  the  opposite  shore.  The  general  looks  at 
the  unfordable  waters,  and  then  at  the  cotton  bales.  A 
new  idea  comes  to  the  rescue  from  the  dilemma.  About 
10 


218  LIFE   OF   GE]^TEEAL   MITCHEL. 

seventy  of  the  oblong  squares  are  rolled  out ;  crowbars  are 
used  to  pry  up  the  ropes  that  bind  them,  and  rails  are  run 
under  the  cordage.  The  bales  held  together  by  the  rails 
are  ten  feet  apart.  You  will  understand  at  once,  that  in 
this  way  he  made  pontoons,  or  floating  abutments,  which, 
one  by  one,  were  launched  upon  the  bosom  of  the  river, 
and  fastened  to  each  other  by  the  same  method. 

The  next  thing  in  the  novel  building  of  the  structure, 
is  to  lay  planks  over  the  gaps  between  the  bales.  Now 
look !  from  sh'ore  to  shore  stretches  a  cotton  and  wooden 
bridge,  under  which  the  unobstructed  current  flows.  Be- 
fore the  day  is  gone,  the  command  is  given,  "Forward !" 
Three  thousand  men,  horses,  and  cannon,  move  upon 
the  pathway  over  the  waters,  till  the  last  foot  and 
wheel  strikes  the  solid  earth  beyond.  A  genius  equal  to 
any  command,  only,  could  have  performed  the  feat  of 
skill  and  despatch.  Napoleon  himself  would  have  been 
proud  of  it. 

But  General  Mitchel  is  not  done  with  the  cotton.  The 
bridge  is  unharnessed,  the  bales  released  from  the  fasten- 
ings, and  conveyed  to  the  railroad.  It  reaches  Hunts- 
ville,  and  there  readily  finds  market,  for  the  handsome 
sum  of  thirty  thousand  dollars.  Add  to  this,  ten  thousand 
dollars  more  received  for  transportation  by  army-wagons 
and  cars  to  its  destination,  and  we  have  forty  thousand 
dollars  in  the  treasury  of  the  United  States,  the  amount 
paid  for  the  supplies  and  forage  he  had  bought.     Was 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  219 

not  the  management  a  shrewd  and  capital  way  of  making 
the  rebels  pay  the  expenses  of  the  Third  Division,  after 
helping  the  battalions  safely  over  the  river  ? 

Another  question  besides  the  maintenance  of  his  army 
on  an  enemy's  soil,  gave  General  Mitchel  anxious  thought ; 
and  that  was  slavery.  Wliat  shall  be  done  with  master 
and  slave  so  far  as  they  come  in  direct  contact  with  the 
army,  was  the  great  problem.  The  bondsman  would  flee 
to  the  camps,  and  the  master  follow  him,  to  demand 
his  property,  according  to  the  unrepealed  law  of  the 
land. 

The  Government,  when  the  war  began,  tried,  as  al- 
ways before,  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  slavery.  The  con- 
flict was  for  the  old  order  of  things,  with  system  of  human 
bondage  included.  General  Mitchel  was  both  conserva- 
tive and  radical  in  the  true  signification  of  the  words. 
He  would  joreserve  the  Constitution  and  the  Republic  en- 
tire, and  uproot  American  slavery  as  necessary  to  the  suc- 
cessful termination  of  the  war — to  the  very  preservation 
of  the  State.  But  he  was  under  a  superior  officer  who 
thought  otherwise,  and  the  national  councils  then  uirged 
indulgence  toward  the  master,  and  a  war  apart  from  the 
cause  of  the  war.  It  is  sad  and  humiliating  to  think  of 
the  nation's  folly  in  this  regard. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  the  hero  of  New  Orleans, 
General  Butler,  a  democrat  of  the  old  school,  or  Buchanan 
'Stamp,  and  a  politician,  should  have  been  the  leader  in  the 


220  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

great  work  of  emancipation.  When  lie  went  to  Fortress 
Monroe,  General  Mitchel  was  superintendent  of  Dudley 
Observatory,  in  Albany.  With  the  large  majority  of  the 
people  the  astronomer  did  not  then  intend  to  "  mix  up  the 
question  "  with  the  civil  strife,  but  simply  beat  down  the 
mad  rebellion. 

A  commander  in  the  navy  told  me  at  that  very  time, 
that  ••'  the  moment  emancipation  had  any  connection  with 
the  contest,  he  would  change  sides."  But  General  Butler 
had  a  singular  insight  and  foresight  on  the  subject.  Colo- 
nel Mallory,  a  rebel,  sent  to  him,  under  flag  of  truce,  to 
demand  those  slaves  who  had  come  into  our  lines.  The 
Colonel  and  General  Butler  had  belonged  to  the  same 
political  party.     He  said  to  his  former  partisan  : 

"  I  have  come,  general,  to  claim  my  servants.'^ 

"  You  hold,  do  you  not,"  replied  General  Butler,  "  that 
negro  slaves  are  property ;  and  that  Virginia  is  no  longer 
a  part  of  the  United  States  ?  " 

"  I  do,  sii\" 

"  You  are  a  lawyer,"  continued  Butler,  "  and  I  ask 
you  if  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law  is  binding  on  a  foreign  na^ 
tion  ?  and  if  a  foreign  nation  employs  this  kind  of  property 
to  destroy  the  lives  and  property  of  the  United  States,  if 
it  ought  not  to  be  regarded  as  contraband  f " 

The  enraged  colonel  disappeared ;  and  a  new  word 
was  added  to  our  vocabulary,  so  far  as  its  application  to 
negroes  is  concerned.     ''  Contraband"  in  this  connection, 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL.  221 

is  a  term  for  wliicli  we  are  indebted  to  General  Butler 
and  the  war. 

The  "  contrabands "  continued  to  come  in,  and  were 
set  to  work  on  the  fortifications.  Though  General 
Mitchel's  opinions  changed  less  rapidly,  he  desired  to 
know  and  do  his  duty. 

General  Buell  had  issued  an  order,  that  no  protection 
should  be  extended  to  slaves  who  appeared  within  the 
lines.  This  was  just  what  the  masters  desired.  You  may 
recollect  the  case  of  the  poor  fugitive,  who,  under  such  a 
cruel  rule,  after  having  shown  the  commanding  officer 
where  arms  were  hidden  by  the  rebels,  was  given  up  to 
the  master ;  by  him  dragged  after  his  horse  with  a  rope 
round  the  fugitive's  neck,  and  then  whipped  to  death. 

General  Mitchel  made  his  earnest  protest  against  the 
order.  His  policy  was  to  allow  neither  master  nor  slave  in 
his  camp.  This,  indeed,  was  the  best  compromise  in  the 
circumstances  he  could  make.  But  according  to  the 
principle  of  action  already  alluded  to,  of  crushing,  in  all 
possible  and  right  ways,  the  rebellion,  he  used  the  negroes 
when  he  could,  and  gave  them  protection  for  the  service. 
Hear  his  noble  words  to  Mr.  Abbott : 

"I  organized  these  negroes  into  watchful  guards, 
throughout  the  entire  portion  of  the  territory  of  my  com- 
mand. They  watched  the  Tennessee  River,  from  Chat- 
tanooga entirely  dowTi  to  Tuscumbia  and  Florence.  To 
'every  negro  who  gave  me  information  of  the  movements 


222  LIFE   OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

of  the  enemy,  who  acted  as  guide  to  me,  or  who  piloted 
my  troops  correctly  through  that  unknown  country,  I 
promised  the  protection  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States ;  and  that  they  should  never  be  returned  to  their 
masters.  I  found  them  extremely  useful.  I  found  them 
jperfectly  reliable^  so  far  as  their  intention  was  concerned  ; 
not  always  accurate  in  detail,  but  always  meaning  to  be 
perfectly  truthful." 

This  is  the  testimony  of  all  candid  and  humane  ofS- 
cers.  It  was  with  great  reluctance  the  Government 
allowed  them  to  fight  for  our  country,  and  their  own  ;  and 
yet  braver  troops  we  have  not  in  the  army.  At  Port 
Hudson,  when  an  officer  was  lying  wounded  under  the  fire 
of  the  rebels,  the  commander  of  the  forces,  among  whom 
were  colored  soldiers,  asked  for  men  to  go  into  the  storm 
of  shells  and  bullets,  to  bring  away  the  fallen,  bleeding 
form.  Immediately  four  negroes  stepped  forth,  and  were 
sent  over  the  plain  of  death.  They  lifted  the  body,  and 
turned  toward  our  lines  ;  soon  tliree  of  the  four  dropped 
before  the  bullets  of  the  exasperated  foe.  Again  the  call 
for  help  was  made.  Four  more  of  the  dark-browed  he- 
roes promptly  came  out  of  the  ranks.  With  firm,  elastic 
step,  they  started  where  their  comrades  fell,  for  the  Union 
lines.  Two  of  the  new  volunteers  were  struck,  and  their 
grasp  relaxed.  Once  more  the  demand  for  bearers  of  the 
wounded  warrior  is  responded  to,  and  the  brave  fellows 
lay  down  their  burden  within  the  protection  of  our  ranks. 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL.  223 

Such  is  the  unselfish  kindness  of  a  proscribed  race, 
whose  patient  endurance  of  injustice  is  a  most  wonderful 
thing.  Everybody  expected  insurrections  when  the  war 
began — that  the  opportunity  afforded  by  the  political  con- 
vulsion, would  be  embraced  by  the  slaves.  Instead  of  this, 
they  have  prayed,  and  waited  for  God  to  open  the  way  of 
deliverance  to  them,  whose  crime  is  "  a  color  unlike  our 
own,"  given  them  by  a  common  Father  !  How  abhor- 
rent to  Him,  the  scorn  and  injury  to  them  !  The  mag- 
nanimous spirit  of  General  Mitchel  felt  this,  whatever 
difficulties  he  encountered  in  the  exercise  of  his  humanity 
and  religion,  created  by  the  law  of  the  land,  or  commands 
of  a  superior  officer. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

General  Mitchel's  views  of  Slavery— The  abuse  of  its  power— An  Illus- 
tration—General Mitchel  deals  promptly  but  justly  with  the  citizens  of 
revolted  States — A  "  Genteel  War  " — General  Mitcbel's  plans  and  policy — 
He  is  ordered  to  Washington. 

^ENERAL  MITCHEL'S  abhorrence  of  the  slave- 
system  increased  with  the  progress  of  the  war. 
You  know  it  is  not  the  slave  alone  who  suffers, 
but  all  who  have  the  least  taint  of  African  blood. 
Both  North  and  South  they  have  been,  are  yet 
persecuted.  He  may  be  free,  educated,  religious — it  is 
all  the  same,  if  he  is  connected  with  the  enslaved  race. 

We  quote  a  forcible  illustration  given  by  an  author 
before  quoted,  because  he  had  the  stirring  narrative, 
as  you  will  notice,  from  the  Avitness  of  a  part  of  the 
scenes  narrated.  About  the  time  the  war  opened  its 
awful  tragedy,  he  was  travelling  from  Washington  to 
Philadelphia.  A  gentleman  came  into  the  cars  and  sat 
down  by  him.  The  conversation  naturally  turned  upon 
secession  and  war,  when  the  gentleman  raid : 


LIFE  OF  GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  225 

"  A  very  painful  event  is  this  day  ti-anspiring  in  my 
own  to^Ti  in  Delaware.  There  were  two  gentlemen  in 
business  in  Maryland.  They  owned  several  slaves.  After 
a  time  they  dissolved  partnership,  and  one  of  the  firm 
moved  from  Maryland  to  Delaware.  One  of  the  slaves, 
a  light  mulatto,  probably  the  son  of  one  of  the  partners, 
certainly  the  son  of  a  white  man,  fell  to  the  Maryland 
master. 

"  Charles,  as  the  slave  was  called,  was  very  intelli- 
gent. He  was  very  useful  to  the  firm,  and  by  his  integ- 
rity and  energy  secured  the  respect  of  his  master.  The 
indulgent  owner,  who  was  probably  his  father,  upon  his 
dying  bed  gave  Charles  his  freedom. 

"  Charles  bought  a  small  farm.  He  became  a 
prosperous  man,  built  a  neat  house,  owned  a  horse,  a 
yoke  of  oxen,  two  or  three  cows,  and  fifty  dollars'  worth 
of  poultry.  From  the  product  of  this  little  farm  he  car- 
ried supplies  to  the  market  in  Baltimore.  He  had  a  wife 
and  fom'  children.  Charles  was  a  Christian.  The  voice 
of  morning  and  evening  prayer  was  ever  heard  in  his 
dwelling.  On  the  Sabbath,  in  accordance  with  the  usages 
of  the  Methodist  persuasion,  to  which  he  belonged,  he  was 
in  the  habit  of  preaching  to  the  colored  people  in  his  own 
vicinity. 

"  One  day  a  vigilance  committee  in  Maryland  called 
upon  Charles,  and  told  him  that  he  was  too  enlightened 
arrd  thrifty  a  '  nigger'  to  be  allowed  to  live  in  the  State  ; 
10* 


226  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

that  his  intelligence  and  prosperity  made  the  slaves  dis- 
contented. Charles,  in  dismay,  asked  if  he  had  said  or 
done  any  thing  which  was  wrong,  or  could  excite  sus- 
picion. 

"'No,'  was  the  reply,  'but  it  is  not  safe  for  us  to 
have  in  the  midst  of  our  slaves  a  free  "  nigger/'  as  rich 
and  knowing  as  you.  And  you  must  leave  this  State 
within  a  fortnight,  or  you  will  fare  badly.' 

"  This  unoffending  Christian  man,  whose  rights  were 
thus  horribly  outraged,  was  in  despair.  What  to  do  he 
did  not  know.  Where  to  go  he  did  not  know.  It  was 
mid-winter.  The  crops  were  in  his  bam.  How  to  dis- 
pose of  his  farm,  his  stock,  and  his  crops,  at  such  a  short 
notice,  he  did  not  know.  He  consulted  friends,  they 
shook  their  heads  and  said : 

"  'Poor  fellow,  we  are  soriy  for  you,  but  cannot  help 
you.  Your  living  here  makes  the  servants  discontented, 
and  you  must  go.' 

"  Perplexed  and  alarmed,  Charles  stayed  about  his 
premises  till  the  day  before  the  one  on  which  he  was 
warned  to  leave  arrived.  The  vigilance  committee  called 
again,  and  said  in  tones  of  menace,  which  almost  froze 
the  blood  in  the  veins  of  the  helpless  man : 

"  '  Charles,  if  we  find  you  here  to-morrow  morning, 
as  sure  as  you  are  alive  we  will  hang  you  to  the  limb  of 
that  tree.' 

"In  his  terror,  Charles  abandoned  every  thing,  his 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   ISHTCHEL.  227 

house,  his  fields,  liis  crops,  his  cows,  his  oxen,  his  poiihry, 
and  taking  his  wife  and  four  little  children  in  his  wagon, 
fled.  His  alarm  often  made  him  cast  a  look  behind  him 
to  see  if  his  enemies  were  in  pursuit.  Not  knowing  where 
else  to  go,  he  turned  his  steps  into  Delaware,  that  he 
might  seek  protection  of  his  former  master,  the  partner  once 
of  him  who  gave  Charles  his  freedom.  It  was  twelve 
o'clock  at  night  when  the  poor  fugitive,  wearied,  with  his 
terror-smitten  exhausted  family,  reached  the  Delaware 
planter's  home.  He  rapped  at  the  door.  His  former 
owner  opened  his  eyes  in  utter  astonishment,  and  ex- 
claimed : 

"  '  For  heaven's  sake,  Charles,  what  brought  you  here  ? ' 

"  He  soon  told  his  o^ti  story. 

"'But  why  did  you  come  here?'  exclaimed  the 
man.  '  You  cannot  stay  here.  The  laws  of  Delaware 
wdll  not  allow  free  negroes  to  come  into  the  State.  If 
you  stay  here  you  must  be  arrested.' 

"'My  God!  my  God!'  gasped  Charles,  folding  his 
hands  in  anguish,  and  the  tears  rolling  down  his  cheeks, 
'  what  shall  I  do  ?  They  threatened  to  hang  me  if  I  stay 
in  Maryland.  You  tell  me  I  cannot  stay  here.  Where 
shall  I  go?' 

"  '  "Well,'  replied  the  man,  '  it  is  a  clear  case  that  you 
cannot  remain  here  in  Delaware.  You  are  liable  at  any 
moment  to  be  arrested.  But  there  is  no  help  now.  You 
must  stay  here  until  morning.' 


228  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

"  Such  was  the  state  of  the  case  when  I  left  this 
morning," 

We  may  never  know  in  this  world  the  fate  of  that 
hunted  family.  Very  plainly  has  God  brought  us  to  the 
battle  plain,  to  suffer  His  righteous  retribution  for  our  im- 
pious abuse  of  both  the  black  and  the  red  races  ;  for  "lo, 
the  poor  Indian  ! "  he  has  fared  no  better  in  proportion  to 
the  power  over  him  in  the  hands  of  unprincipled  men. 

It  is  not  strange  that  Pierpont  sung  : 

"  The  fratracidal  war, 

Grows  on  the  poisonous  tree, 
Which  God  and  man  abhor, 

Accursed  slavery. 
And  God  ordains  that  we 

Shall  eat  this  deadly  fruit, 
Till  we  dig  up  the  tree, 

And  burn  its  very  root." 

General  Mitchel  was  convinced  that  the  axe  of  eman- 
cipation must  be  laid  at  the  root  of  this  tree. 

Another  method  of  weakening  the  rebellion  he  em- 
braced, and  was  left  free  to  try.  He  knew  that  the  leaders 
of  it  would  never  yield,  until  compelled  to  do  so,  either  by 
our  arms  or  the  voice  of  thcii'  own  people.  It  was  clear 
to  him  then,  as  to  us  all  now,  that  the  traitors  who  had 
for  long  years  matured  their  infamous  conspiracy,  would 
be  the  very  last  to  quit  the  field  of  conflict.  They  staked 
every  thing  when  the  homicidal  hands  were  raised  against 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  229 

the  Republic ;  their  motto  was  truly  the  reverse  of  our 
OT^Ti : 

"  Divided  we  stand,  united  we  fall." 

But  many  of  the  people  who  were  opposed  to  secession 
in  the  South  thought  not  with  our  noble  commander. 
They  said  :  "  We  can  do  nothing  at  all.  "We  must  wait 
for  our  rulers  to  negotiate  peace,  and  in  some  way  bring 
this  war  to  a  close." 

General  Mitchel  replied : 

"  Gentlemen,  this  is  impossible.  The  war  can  never 
be  ended  in  that  way.  There  was  a  time  before  this  war 
broke  out  when  your  Government  sent  their  represent- 
atives to  Washington ;  but  they  could  not  be  received, 
and  cannot  be  received  now.  The  thing  cannot  be  done. 
You,  the  people,  must  rise  and  say  to  your  rulers,  '  The 
war  shall  not  go  on  any  longer ;  we  refuse  to  support 
your  army.'  Do  that  and  the  war  must  cease,  and  the 
old  flag  again  wave  over  the  country." 

My  reader,  we  of  the  North  have,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  been  sadly  mistaken  in  our  expectations.  This 
has  led  to  awful  waste  of  life  and  treasure.  We  thought 
the  rebels  would  soon  get  tired  of  the  conflict,  and,  like 
disobedient  schoolboys  well  punished,  come  back  to  loyalty 
and  love.  A  few  knew  better  ;  among  them  some  plain, 
uneducated,  sensible  men.  I  recollect  one  whom  I  met 
oii  the  coast  of  Cape  Cod  a  few  weeks  after  the  struggle 


230  LITE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

commenced,  in  1861.  He  was  a  stranger  to  me — an  old 
"  coaster  "  or  fisherman,  I  judged  him  to  be. 

"  What's  the  news  from  the  war?"  he  inquired. 

"  We  a-re  making  slow  progress,"  I  answered  ;  "  mov- 
ing too  cautiously,  I  fear." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  responded  this  singular  specimen  of  hu- 
manity— singular  in  di'ess  and  appearance — "  'tis  no  use 
to  carry  on  a  genteel  war  with  the  South." 

No  wars  are  so  cruel  and  costly  in  the  end  as  genteel 
wars.  If  men  mil  fight,  the  motto  should  be,  fight.  The 
rebels  have  been  our  teachers  in  this  simple  truth. 

General  Mitchel  believed  in  this,  while  he  hoped,  with 
multitudes,  that  the  masses  in  the  seceded  States  would 
see  the  treasonable  a-mbition  of  their  leaders,  and  save 
themselves  the  heavy  blows  he  intended,  and  de- 
sired all  in  command  to  deal  upon  them  while  disloyal, 
by  deserting  Jeff.  Davis  and  his  associates  in  revolt. 
Therefore  he  did  not  compel  the  people  in  quiet  life  to 
swear  allegiance  to  the  United  States.  There  were,  how- 
ever, exceptions,  A  rebel  soldier  had  left  his  army  and 
came  within  our  Hues.  After  a  while  he  asked  permis- 
sion to  return  to  his  home. 

"No,  sir,"  replied  General  Mitchel;  "never  until 
you  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United  States  to 
nullify  the  oath  you  took  to  the  Confederate  Govern- 
ment." 

The  guerillas  continued  to  hover  around  the  army, 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  231 

and  also  distress  the  inliabitants.  General  ^Mitchel  wanted 
to  get  the  people  enlisted  in  the  suppregsion  of  these  law- 
less bands.  So  he  said  to  them :  "  You  must  denounce 
this  murderous  warfare,  or  sign  a  pledge  to  have  nothing 
to  do  with  it,  and  give  intelligence  of  any  attack  intended 
by  them  kno'vvn  to  you." 

This  was  reasonable  and  just.  Whoever  signed  the 
paper  could  come  and  go  about  their  business  unmolested. 
The  rest  were  closely  watched.  Guards  were  on  the  alert.- 
The  vigilance  of  the  Union  troops  became  so  very  un- 
comfortable, that  the   majority  of  the  people  signed  the 


The  next  thing  was  to  have  courts  of  justice.  There 
was  soon  established  a  court-martial  for  military  offences  ; 
then  followed  a  court  of  examination  to  inquire  into  the 
case  of  prisoners  brought  into  camp  ;  and  a  third  organ- 
ized, was  a  military  court  for  the  trial  of  criminal  offences. 
These  courts  were  for  the  conquered  territory,  and  kept 
always  in  session. 

Brave,  victorious  General  Mitchel !  In  every  march 
and  measure  in  his  department,  shone  the  Christian  hero 
and  gentleman. 

But  up  to  this  time  in  our  country,  success,  if  gained 
by  "  hard  blows,"  that  is  to  say,  if  the  rebels  were  treated 
as  such,  the  clamor  of  complaint  soon  rose  from  half- 
hearted and  timid  patriots,  which  was  echoed  by  dis- 
guised secessionists.      Especially  did  the  newspaper  cor- 


232  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL. 

respondents  mislead  often  the  public,  and  influence  un- 
justly the  Government. 

The  arrows  of  detraction  were  even  aimed  at  this 
pure  and  splendid  officer,  until  he  demanded  investi- 
gation. 

Reader,  never  worry  or  despond  because  you  are 
slandered,  if  consciously  innocent  of  the  charge.  The 
best  of  men  have  had  this  experience.  Do  not  chase  a 
false  report ;  if  self-respect,  and  a  proper  regard  for  your 
reputation,  demand  attention  to  the  maligner,  then  make 
thorough  work  of  the  investigation,  and  a  dignified 
defence. 

General  Mitchel  was,  unfortunately  for  his  success  and 
peace,  superior  in  intellect  and  greatness  of  character  to 
other  and  ambitious  officers,  and  in  advance  of  the 
slowly-ripening  popular  estimate  of  the  real  nature  of  the 
war.  Besides,  he  was  honest  and  frank.  He  did  not 
disguise  his  bold  designs.  So  he  must  be  sacrificed  ; — one 
of  the  costliest  offerings  of  the  war.  No  patriotic  mind 
able  to  appreciate  General  Mitchel,  can  think  of  it  with- 
out a  pang  of  bitterest  regret,  and  a  thrill  of  deepest  in- 
dignation. The  lofty  spirit  of  him  who  could  call  the 
stars  by.  name,  disdained  the  grovelling  policy  of  aspii'ing 
commanders  and  tricky  politicians. 

In  the  midst  of  his  usefulness — ^^vhen  planning  grander 
campaigns,  and  making  the  traitors  of  Tennessee  and 
Alabama  tremble — an  order  came  from  the  vSecretary  of 


LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MTTCHEL.  233 

War  requiring  his  presence  at  once  in  Washington.  Al- 
ways obedient  to  lawful  commands,  he  turned  from  the 
troops  he  loved,  and  who  loved  him,  with  surprise  and 
sadness,  and  hastened  to  the  national  capital. 


CHAPTEE  XXn. 


General  Mitchel  at  "WasMngton — The  Secretary  of  "War  and  the  President  are 
his  friends— The  Secret  Expedition— The  Patient  Inactivity— The  Order  to 
Port  Eoyal — The  History  of  his  new  Department— The  IS'aval  Attack — 
Scenes  which  followed. 


^HE  second  day  of  July  he  received  the  order,  and 
°  on  the  the  fifth  he  was  in  Washington.  The 
Secretary  of  "War,  Mr.  Stanton,  had  no  words 
of  condemnation  for  the  heroic,  patriotic,  con- 
scientious, and  upright  Mitchel.  He  had  dis- 
played only  the  highest  qualities  of  a  noble  manhood  and 
true  generalship.  Their  interviews,  and  those  held  by 
them  with  the  President,  only  increased  the  confidence  in 
our  gallant  chief.  The  best  evidence  of  this  is  seen  in 
the  proposal  made  to  him  to  command  an  enterprise  of 
great  importance.  After  carefully  studying  the  plan  and 
object,  he  decided  to  accept  the  responsibility :  it  was  to 
-sweep  down  and  open  the  mighty  valley  of  the  "West — the 
very  work  assigned  afterward  to  our  honored  Lieut- 
enant-General.     Mr.  Lincoln  then  suggested  that  the  bold 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  235 

design  be  delayed  till  General  Halleck,  next  to  the  Exec- 
utive in  command,  who  was  absent,  returned.  He  was 
opposed  to  the  appointment  for  reasons  not  known  to  the 
public,  and  which,  it  is  difficult  to  believe,  were  just  and 
sound,  and  advised  an  "indefinite  postponement."  So 
the  splendid  Mitchel  must  be  laid  aside  vnXh  the  scheme 
just  suited  to  his  daring  spirit. 

The  months  pass,  and  the  terrible  war  grows  threat- 
ening, while  a  giant  in  power  to  smite  the  rebellion,  is 
doing  nothing.  Our  President  is  honest — God's  gift  in 
times  when  that  quality  is  indispensable  in  the  attempt  to 
hold  the  people  together  at  all ;  for  genius  without  integ- 
rity, cannot  steady  the  popular  will,  when  the  skies  are 
dark  and  sacrifices  are  demanded.  There  must  be  a 
ground  of  faith — a  reflection,  to  some  extent,  of  the  Divine 
government  in  the  human  authority. 

But  at  Washington  and  in  the  army,  dishonest  men, 
disloyal  parasites,  and  vacillating,  narrow  minds,  have 
done  mischief  which  God's  judgment  day  alone  can  dis- 
close. 

The  sad  inquiry  went  over  the  North,  "Where  is 
General  Mitchel?"  Like  the  sun  setting  at  noon,  he  had 
disappeared,  and  no  one  could  tell  why.  While  he  was  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  the  order  came,  with  the  advent  of 
autumn,  to  repair  to  Hilton  Head,  South  Carolina,  to  take 
command  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps,  whose  headquarters 
w6re  there.     He  reported  at  Washington  September  5th  ; 


236  LITE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

he  started  for  liis  Soutliern  Department  on  the  12th,  and 
was  at  his  post  on  the  16th.  Before  we  follow  his  brief 
career,  I  will  give  you  a  glimpse  of  the  history  of  Port 
Royal  before  he  landed  there. 

Just  after  George  B.  McClellan  succeeded  General 
Scott  to  the  command  of  the  army,  the  navy  began  to 
move  in  earnest  in  the  war.  A  grand  expedition  was 
fitted  out,  and  the  ships  gathered  in  Hampton  Roads,  un- 
der the  protecting  guns  of  Fortress  Monroe.  Only  those 
who  planned  the  enterprise  knew  where  the  magnificent 
fleet  was  going,  which  carried  and  attended  the  troops. 
Commodore  Dupont  commanded  the  naval  squadron  of 
eighteen'  men-of-war,  and  thirty-eight  transports,  or  pas- 
senger and  supply  vessels.  This,  as  yet,  the  greatest 
naval  force  of  the  war,  sailed  majestically  out  of  Hampton 
Roads  October  29th,  1861.  On  the  30th,  the  heavens 
gathered  blackness,  and  the  wild  winds  blew. 

Did  you  ever  see  a  storm  at  sea  ?  I  have  witnessed 
one,  and  it  is  the  awfulest,  grandest  sight  on  land  or 
water.  The  billows,  crested  with  foam,  toss  like  a  play- 
thing the  ship,  and  sweep  the  deck — the  cordage  rattles, 
and  makes  a  dismal  harp  of  the  winds.  The  whole  scene 
is  terrific  and  sublime. 

Think  of  the  power  and  peril  of  the  gale,  which  so 
scattered  that  fleet  of  fifty-six  vessels,  that  next  morning 
from  the  dripping  deck  of  the  noble  Wabash  but  a  single 
sail  was  visible.     But  soon  the  stray  canvas  wings  began 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL    MITCHEL.  237 

to  whiten  the  sobbing  ocean  ;  and  two  days  later,  twenty- 
five  ships  came  to  anchor  off  Port  Royal,  a  fine  harbor  fifty 
miles  from  Charleston.  A  glance  at  the  map  will  show 
its  locality.  The  dispersed  fleet  continued  to  come  in,  ex- 
cepting the  few  vessels  lost.  Two  days  more  passed 
while  the  commodore  was  feeling  his  way  around  the 
rebel  forts,  and  getting  ready  to  open  the  grim  and  silent 
ordnance  upon  them.  At  length  fifteen  of  the  battle 
leviathans  are  ready  for  the  fight.  They  form  in  an 
elliptic  circle. 

The  enemy's  forts  lay  at  the  extremities  of  the  circular 
path.  At  each  sweep  of  the  ships,  fifty  shot  and  shells 
every  minute  were  rained  upon  the  batteries  of  treason. 
In  the  annals  of  warfare  there  are  few  spectacles  of  such 
beauty  and  grandeur,  as  this  affair  at  Port  Royal.  The 
lovely  bay,  sunlit  and  calm,  the  imposing  march  of  the 
men-of-war  in  the  ellipse  about  two  miles  by  one,  the 
thunder  of"  cannon  shaking  the  land  and  deep  like  an 
earthquake,  the  smoke  rolling  upward  and  spreading  like 
a  pall  over  the  work  of  death,  the  scream  and  crash  of 
shells — all  combined  to  make  the  scene  memorable  in  the 
history  of  this  and  all  other  wars. 

The  boasted  Gibraltar  had  to  strike  colors  in  the  re- 
sistless tempest  of  iron  and  unimprisoned  fire.  It  was  told 
after  the  victory  that  a  master  said  to  his  slave,  profanely  : 

"  The  forts  at  Hilton  Head  cannot  be  taken.  I  tell 
you  that  God  Almighty  could  not  take  those  forts  ! " 


238  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

"Yes,  massa,"  replied  the  negro,  with  a  significant 
shake  of  his  head,  "  but  suppose  the  Yankees  come  mth 
God  Almighty?" 

The  Lord  was  on  our  side,  we  may  believe,  and  gave 
us  a  brilliant  victory.  Then  came  the  landing  of  troops, 
the  finding  of  treasures  left  in  the  hasty  flight  of  the  rebels, 
and  the  general  rejoicing.  I  shall  go  a  little  further  in  the 
story  of  Port  Royal,  which  was  to  be,  in  less  than  a  year, 
the  command  and  the  graveyard  of  General  liiitchel. 
The  people  he  especially  cared  for,  early  after  this  battle 
showed  themselves  to  our  troops.  The  slaves  declared 
that  they  had  been  long  waiting  for  the  Yankees.  Said 
one  of  them : 

"  Bress  de  Lord,  massa,  we'se  prayed  and  prayed  de 
good  Lord  to  send  de  Yankees,  and  we'se  knowed  you'se 
a  comin'." 

"  How  did  you  know?"  asked  a  soldier,  "  you  cannot 
read  the  papers?" 

"  No,  massa,  we  can't  read,  but  we  can  listen.  Master 
and  missus  used  sometimes  to  read  loud,  and  then  we 
used  to  listen  so,"  touching  his  ear  and  stooping  as  if 
listening  at  a  key-hole  ;  "  I'se  listened,  an'  Jim,  an'  we  put 
de  bits  togedder,  and  we  knowed  you's  a  comin,  bres  de 
Lord ! " 

Another,  who  having  heard  the  common  and  profane 
epithet,  "  damned  Yankees,"  whenever  Northern  men 
were  mentioned,   supposed,  in  his  simplicity,  it  was  a 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  239 

necessary  appellation — ^the  proper  one.  And  in  a  relig- 
ious meeting  he  prayed,  in  these  words :  "0  God,  we 
thank  thee  thou  has  sent  dese  kind  soldiers  to  be  de  friends 
of  the  de  poor  slaves.  Like  Jesus,  dey  have  come  with 
good  tidings  of  great  joy."  He  then  asked  God's  olessing 
on  the  Yankees,  using  the  very  expression  with  which  he 
had  always  been  familiar. 

I  could  relate  many  touching  scenes  among  the  poor 
contrabands,  of  families  reunited  after  a  long  separation — 
of  services  rendered  to  our  army,  and  of  beautiful  religious 
faith.  Soon  the  "  contrabands"  increased  to  a  thousand, 
sheltered  by  four  buildings  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
long  and  thirty  wide,  erected  expressly  for  them.  Thus 
Port  Royal  became  the  first  great  depot  of  emancipated 
slaves.  It  was  to  this  post  of  duty  in  a  limited  field  of 
action,  because  not  designed  for  the  arena  of  great  deeds, 
and  therefore  not  furnished  with  troops  and  other  re- 
sources for  extensive  operations,  that  General  Mitchel 
cheerfully  went ;  still  he  felt  that  he  had  been  misrep- 
resented and  misunderstood. 

He  was  siu'e  he  understood  the  rebellion,  and  how  to 
treat  it.  Yet,  with  confidence  in  the  President's  honesty 
and  aims,  he  bore  the  burden  of  "  wounded  spirit"  in 
silence.  No  sooner  had  he  surveyed  the  theatre  of  achieve- 
ment, than  his  unresting  soul  sought  for  labor  and  peril  in 
his  country's  behalf. 


CHAPTER  XXin. 

The  impression  made  1)7  the  Major-General  in  his  Southern  Department— Expe- 
ditions— Daring  Adventures— The  progress  of  the  Contrabands— Anecdotes — 
The  Mortal  Sictness. 

\HE  fine  impression  wliich  the  arrival  and  prompt 
action  of  tlie  new  commander  made  upon  the 
army  and  people,  was  given  bj  a  correspondent 
of  The  Independent^  who  was  there  :  "  The  after- 
noon of  the  loth  of  September,  on  which  the 
Arago  came  up  our  magnificent  bay,  with  the  American 
ensign  at  her  fore,  while  the  thirteen  guns  from  the  fort, 
echoed  by  the  same  salute  from  the  Wabash,  proclaimed 
a  major-general,  ushered  in  an  epoch  in  the  Department. 
Before  the  end  of  that  week.  General  Mitchel  had  visited 
all  the  camps  on  Hilton  Head,  at  Beaufort,  and  at  Fort 
Pulaski,  and  had  addressed  all  the  regiments  except  such 
as  chanced  to  be  absent  on  picket  duty.  In  another  week 
the  expedition  to  St.  John's  Bluff  was  matured,  though 
its  execution  was  twice  defeiTed  by  storms. 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  2il 

"  The  week  in  which  that  expedition  sailed  witnessed 
an  expedition  that  burned  the  extensive  salt  works,  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  long,  at  Blufton,  and  a  reconnoissance  up 
Savannah  River,  proceeding  further  and  achieving  more 
than  any  previous  reconnoissance  had  done.  And  before 
these  lines  reach  you,  other  projects  will  have  become 
history. 

"  And  aU  this  activity  while  his  predecessors  were 
forever  complaining  that  they  could  do  nothing  with  the 
limited  number  of  troops  in  the  Department ;  and  yet  more, 
when  shortly  before  his  coming  here  some  eight  regiments 
were  transferred  to  Virginia  ! 

"  His  clear  sight  saw  that  the  negroes  were  an  im- 
portant element  in  the  condition  of  the  Department,  and 
he  inmaediately  began  to  occupy  himself  with  plans  for 
their  becoming  a  source  of  happiness  to  themselves,  and 
of  strength  and  prosperity  to  the  Government.  He  found 
some  six  or  seven  hundred  negroes  hived  in  three  wooden 
buildings  within  the  stockade,  near  to  the  camps,  and  all 
their  demoralizing  influences.  He  set  the  negroes  at  work 
building  log-houses  for  themselves,  out  in  the  country  re- 
mote from  the  camps.  He  appointed  a  teacher,  who  has 
begun  a  school  among  them.  Last  Sunday  he  attended 
the  morning  service  of  the  colored  church,  when  their 
new  house  of  worship  was  dedicated,  and  addressed  them 
in  counsels  of  singular  appropriateness  and  wisdom.  His 
leading  idea  was,  '  White  men  can  do  nothing  for  you  ex- 
11 


24:2  LIFE   OF   GEiTEEM.   MITCHEL. 

cept  to  give  you  a  chance.  You  must  do  for  yourselves. 
You  must  raise  yourselves.  You  must  for  yourselves  re- 
fute the  unfriendly  predictions  of  your  enemies.'  Though 
not  a  professed  abolitionist,  yet  General  Mitchel  is  a  bet- 
ter, wiser  friend  of  this  people  than  either  of  his  predeces- 
sors has  been. 

"  He  understands,  as  real  generals  have  always  done, 
the  need  of  having  his  soldiers  in  sympathy  with  him. 
He  says  a  cheering,  inspiring  word  to  a  knot  of  men  as 
he  rides  through  a  camp  ;  it  is  passed  from  man  to  man 
till  the  regiment  feels  the  thrill.  As  a  specimen  of  the 
brief,  pithy,  unpremeditated  talks  by  which  he  kindles  the 
men,  this  afternoon  he  passed  the  camp  of  the  Seventh 
Connecticut,  just  as  they  were  on  battalion  driU.  He 
stopped  and  watched  their  drill,  and  being  asked  to  ad- 
dress them,  he  consented.  So  they  were  formed  on  close 
column  by  divisions,  and  he  said :  '  Officers  and  soldiers 
of  the  Seventh  Connecticut,  I  thank  you  for  what  you  did 
last  week  in  Florida.  You  did  all  that  could  be  asked  of 
you.  Now  I  have  another  job  for  you.  In  a  few  days 
the  word  will  be  March!  I  don't  want  any  man  who 
cannot  stand  a  march.  Your  first  business  now  is  to  be 
well.  The  skies  are  bright.  The  people  of  the  North  are 
looking  to  the  South.  Soon  large  reenforcements  will  be 
on  their  way  here.  But  let  us  first  show  them  what  we 
can  do  without  reenforcements.' 

"  More,   and  better  than  all,  General  Mitchel  is  a 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  243 

Christian,  who  makes  a  conscience  of  his  work,  and  whose 
trust  is  in  the  Lord  God  of  Hosts. 

"  Finding  there  were  large  numbers  of  contrabands  at 
Hilton  Head,  subject  to  ill  treatment  and  often  abuse  from 
the  prejudiced  whites,  his  first  work  (almost)  was  to  sec 
to  their  comfort.  Very  soon  a  number  of  houses  were 
erected  for  them,  just  beyond  the  village  of  Hilton  Head 
(for  it  is  now  grown  into  a  village),  and  quite  out  of  the 
way  of  the  camps,  where  they  could  be  comfortably  lodged 
and  sheltered.  A  church  has  been  erected  for  them,  and 
at  its  dedication  General  Mitchel  addressed  them  as  a 
kind  father  would  speak  to  his  children.  On  another  oc- 
casion he  did  the  same.  And  to  a  friend  he  afterwards 
said :  '  I  have  addressed  large  audiences,  of  the  most 
literary  and  scientific  men  and  women,  in  all  the  great 
cities  of  the  United  States,  and  I  say  to  you  I  never  teas 
so  moved  hefore  in  my  life  as  when  standing  before  that 
multitude  of  the  poor,  the  humble,  and  the  wronged,  who 
have  but  now  come  out  of  bondage  into  a  hoped  for 
freedom.' 

''  O  craven  hearts  of  the  North !  here  was  a  man, 
loaded  with  wealth,  honors,  and  privilege,  yet  he  spurned 
not  the  poor,  nor  feared  to  stand  in  his  place  before  them 
and  speak  words  of  hope  and  consolation  to  their  stricken 
and  trembling  hearts.  To  all  those  engaged  in  teaching 
or  otherwise  in  the  mission,  with  whom  he  conversed, 


24:4  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

he  promised  his  hearty  cooperation  in  every  practicable 
effort." 

His  fertile  brain  and  adventurous  spirit  began  to  push 
out  on  every  hand  in  plans  to  embarrass  the  enemy.  On 
St.  John's  River  was  a  fort  of  considerable  strength,  and 
in  another  direction  the  Blufton  Salt  Works,  of  great 
value  to  the  enemy.  He  sent  successful  expeditions  to 
both,  and  also  drew  Beauregard  out  of  Savannah  Avith 
twenty-five  thousand  men. 

The  next  bold  movement  of  General  Mitchel  was  a 
repetition  of  the  gallant  exploits  in  Alabama.  Take  the 
map  and  you  will  notice  smaller  streams  flowing  into 
Broad  River,  and  just  west  of  them,  making  a  broad  curve, 
the  Charleston  and  Savannah  Railroad.  Though  furnish- 
ed with  much  smaller  force  than  he  needed.  General 
Mitchel  was  resolved  to  use  it  well,  and  deal  the  heaviest 
blows  upon  the  merciless  enemy  that  could  be  given  by  it. 
It  was  to  be  his  last  earthly  work.  The  only  reason  why 
it  did  not  accomplish  all  that  he  intended,  was  the  want 
of  sufficient  means  to  secure  the  highest  results — painful 
it  is  to  know  it.  War  at  best  is  waste ;  but  when  military 
or  political  ambition  and  mistakes,  which  wiU  enter  always 
more  or  less  into  all  war,  especially  in  a  Republic,  throw 
away  noble,  lives  it  is  enough  to  break  the  heart  of  pa- 
triotism, and  kindle  the  quenchless  fire  of  indignation  upon 
its  altars. 

Wrote  an  eye-witness  of  this   daring   and   brilliant 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  245 

movement,  true  to  the  promise  that  he  made  his  troops, 
of  giving  them  active  employment  on  assuming  command 
of  the  Department  of  the  South  : 

"  General  Mitchel  has  just  prosecuted  a  third  expedi- 
tion, of  greater  magnitude  and  of  more  important  aim, 
which,  while  yielding  fresh  lustre  to  our  arms,  I  grieve  to 
say  has  only  partially  achieved  its  object,  and  so  adds  an- 
other long  list  to  the  names  of  martyrs  in  the  Union  cause. 

"The  especial  design  of  this  enterprise  was  to  destroy 
the  trestle-work  bridges  of  the  Charleston  and  Savannah 
Railroad,  crossing  the  Pocotaligo,  TuUifiny,  and  Coosa- 
hatchie.  These  streams  are  all  tributaries  of  the  Broad 
River  ;  and  to  approach  them  it  was  determined,  after  a 
carefid  study  of  the  map  of  this  peculiarly  impracticable 
and  most  difficult  country  for  military  operations,  to  make 
a  landing  at  i\[acka}^s  Point,  at  the  junction  of  the  Broad 
and  Pocotaligo  Rivers,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles  from 
Hilton  Head,  where  our  troops  could  be  debarked  under 
cover  of  gunboats,  and  a  march  of  eleven  miles  would 
take  them  to  the  village  of  Pocotaligo,  at  wjiich  place  it 
was  supposed  the  enemy  would  make  a  stand.  The  at- 
tack was  intended  as  a  surprise  ;  and  while  our  main 
force  was  to  advance,  as  stated,  a  smaller  body  of  troops, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Barton,  of  the  Forty-eighth  New- 
York  volunteers,  was  to  create  a  diversion  by  penetrating 
to  the  Coosahatchie  bridge  in  the  steamer  Planter,  con- 
voyed by  the  gunboat  Patroon  ;  but  with  imperative  orders 


246  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

to  retire  should  they  encounter  a  superior  force.  By  cut- 
ting the  railroad  in  the  manner  proposed,  communication 
between  the  cities  of  Savannah  and  Charleston  would  be 
destroyed,  and  the  way  opened  for  a  sudden  blow  upon 
one  or  both  of  these  places,  at  the  discretion  of  the  com- 
manding general. 

"  The  plan  of  this  expedition  was  skilfully  conceived, 
and  every  precaution  adopted  to  render  it  successful. 
Few  can  imagine  the  perplexities  attendant  upon  the 
movement  of  troops  and  artillery  by  water.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  construct  flat-boats  for  the  transporation  of  field- 
batteries  ;  to  concentrate  all  the  light-draught  boats  ;  to  gain 
such  knowledge  as  might  be  gained  imperfectly  through 
scouts,  of  the  character  of  the  country  to  be  traversed ;  to 
decide  upon  the  possibility  of  debarking  at  the  point  se- 
lected ;  arriving  at  proper  tides  ;  providing  for  the  subsist- 
ence of  the  troops,  and  a  hundred  other  details  regarding 
prudence  and  sagacious  foresight,  and  which  after  all  were 
susceptible  of  disarrangement.  Considering  all  these  cir- 
cumstances, and  the  fact  that  so  many  persons  are  em- 
ployed in  the  organization  of  an  expedition  of  this  kind,  it 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  information  of  the  projected 
attack  passed  our  lines,  and  the  enemy  consequently  was 
ready  to  receive  us. 

"  The  army  transports  of  light  draught  were  not  suffi- 
cient for  the  transportation  of  the  number  of  men  required 
for  this  service  ;  and  in  the  emergency,  Commodore  Godon, 


LUTE   OF   GENERAL   MITCIIEL.  247 

of  the  navy,  was  applied  to  by  General  Mitcliel  for  assist- 
ance. Commodore  Godon  promptly  agreed  to  take  troops 
on  the  gunboats,  and  the  soldiers  were  assigned  as  foUows  : 
"  Gunboat  Paul  Jones,  Captain  Charles  Steedman,  com- 
manding naval  forces,  towing  Wabash  launches.  Trans- 
port Ben  Deford,  with  six  hundred  of  the  Forty-seventh 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  four  hundred  of  the  Fifty- 
fifth  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  Gunboat  Connemaugh, 
with  three  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  Foui'th  New  Hamp- 
shire volunteers.  Gunboat  Wissahickon,  with  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  of  the  Fom-th  New  Hampshire  volunteers. 
Transport  Boston,  with  five  hundred  of  the  Seventh  Con- 
necticut volunteers,  and  three  hundred  and  eighty  of  the 
Third  Nev/  Hampshire  volunteers.  Gunboat  Pattoon, 
with  fifty  of  the  Third  New  Hampshire  volunteers.  Gun- 
boat Uncas,  with  fifty  of  the  Third  New  Hampshire  volun- 
teers. Transport  Darling-ton,  with  three  hundred  of  the 
Sixth  Connecticut  volunteers.  The  Relief  and  schooner, 
v^dth  two  hundred  of  the  Sixth  Connecticut  volunteers. 
Gunboat  Marblehead,  with  two  hundred  and  thirty  of  the 
Third  Ehode  Island  volunteers.  Gunboat  Vixen,  with 
seventy  of  the  Third  Rhode  Island  volunteers.  Steamer 
Florida,  with  three  hundred  of  the  Seventy-sixth  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers.  Gunboat  "Water  "Witch,  with  one 
hundred  and  thirty  of  the  Seventy-sixth  Pennsylvania 
volunteers.  Army  gunboat  George  "Washington,  with 
tWo  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  New  York  "Volunteer  Engi- 


248  LITE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

neers.  Steamer  Planter,  with  three  hundi'ed  of  the 
Forty-eighth  New  York  volunteers.  The  Ben  Deford 
towed  a  flat  boat  having  on  board  a  section  of  Lieutenant 
Henry's  battery  First  United  States  artillery,  and  the 
Boston  another  flat  boat  carrying  a  section  of  company  E, 
Third  United  States  artillery.  The  entire  land  forces 
were  composed  of  portions  of  the  first  and  second  brigades 
of  the  Tenth  army  corps,  respectively  commanded  by 
Brigadier-Generals  J.  M.  Brannan  and  A.  H.  Terry,  the 
former  being  senior  oflacer,  and  therefore  commanding  the 
expedition. 

"  At  nightfall  of  Tuesday,  the  twenty-first,  the  expedi- 
tion was  ready  for  departure,  but  did  not  leave  until  mid- 
night, as  nothing  could  be  accomplished  by  reaching  its 
destination  before  daybreak.  The  vessels  left  in  the  order 
above  designated,  but  the  night  was  misty,  and  one  or  two 
of  them  ran  aground,  delaying  their  arrival  at  the  rendez- 
vous for  some  hours  beyond  the  time  which  had  been 
fixed. 

"  Meanwhile  the  tug  Starlight  was  despatched  with 
some  boats  of  the  Paul  Jones  and  a  small  company  of 
soldiers  of  the  Seventh  Connecticut,  under  Captain  Gray, 
to  capture  the  rebel  pickets  at  Mackay's  Point  and  at  a 
plantation  on  the  Pocotaligo  Eiver,  a  few  miles  distant. 
This  project  was  only  partia'Jv  successful.  At  the  plan- 
tation. Lieutenant  Banks,  of  the  enemy's  picket,  and  three 
men,  were  made  prisoners,  but  through  tlie  incompetency 


LIFE   OF    GENElfAL   MITCHEL.  249 

of  a  negro  guide^  the  guard  at  the  point  escaped,  giving 
warning  of  our  approach.  From  the  rebel  officer  who  was 
taken,  General  Brannan  learned  that  our  attack  had  been 
apprehended  by  the  enemy,  and  for  several  days  they  had 
been  preparing  for  the  encounter. 

"The  tedious  process  of  putting  the  men  ashore  in 
small  boats  was  commenced  soon  after  six  o'clock  a.m., 
on  Wednesday,  and  by  ten  o'clock,  men,  horses,  and  guns 
were  landed,  excepting  the  detachment  of  the  Third  Rhode 
Island  volunteers,  who  were  on  the  gunboat  Marblehead, 
which  was  aground  all  day  some  miles  down  the  river. 

"The  line  of  march  was  taken  up  soon  after  ten,  the 
section  of  Lieutenant  Henry's  battery  being  at  the  head 
of  the  colunm  with  skirmishers  of  the  Forty-seventh 
Pennsylvania  regiment.  Advancing  slowly  over  an  admi- 
rable road  for  seven  miles,  we  failed,  during  the  march, 
of  encountering  the  enemy,  who  had  prudently  recoiled 
from  a  meeting  until  it  should  take  place  beyond  range  of 
our  gunboats,  although  the  nature  of  the  ground  over 
which  we  passed  afforded  many  excellent  positions  for 
defence. 

"  The  road  alternated  through  dense  woods  and 
through  marshes,  only  passable  over  a  narrow  causeway, 
save  at  one  or  two  points.  Choosing  a  position  at  the  op- 
posite end  of  this  causeway,  the  enemy  opened  a  furious  fire 
of  shell  and  canister  on  our  advancing  column,  which  was 
promptly  met  by  the  battery  under  Lieutenant  Henry. 

n* 


250  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   IVnTCnEL. 

Immediately,  the.  order  was  given  by  General  Brannan  for 
his  brigade  to  form  line  of  battle,  the  centre  resting  on 
the  causeway.  After  a  brisk  fire  of  both  musketry  and 
artillery  the  rebels  retired  to  the  dense  woods  in  their  rear, 
tearing  up  the  causeway-bridge,  which  delayed  the  ad- 
vance of  our  aii;illery  until  it  could  be  repaired. 

Meanwhile,  the  First  Brigade  pressed  on  to  the  woods, 
which  they  penetrated,  driving  the  enemy  before  them,  and 
closely  followed  by  the  Second  Brigade,  under  General 
Terry,  who  came  up  with  a  cheer,  and  were  quickly  in 
the  engagement.  Here  the  fight,  it  may  be  said,  fairly 
commenced — the  enemy's  sharpshooters  picking  off  our 
men  rapidly.  The  artillery  fire  from  our  side  was  not 
slackened  while  the  bridge  was  being  repaired,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  the  batteries  went  forward  to  the  work  in 
support  of  the  infantry. 

'^  This  action  began  between  twelve  and  one,  and  lasted 
about  an  hour,  ending  in  the  retreat  of  the  rebels  to  an- 
other position  at  Frampton's  plantation,  which  lies  two 
miles  beyond.  The  enemy  were  closely  followed,  and 
after  a  fight  more  hotly  contested  than  the  first,  our  troops 
were  again  victorious,  the  second  time  driving  the  rebels 
from  their  well-chosen  position,  and  two  miles  beyond, 
which  brought  them  up  to  Pocotahgo  bridge  (not  the 
railroad  bridge),  over  which  they  crossed,  taking  shelter 
behind  earthworks  on  the  farthest  side.  To  this  point 
our  troops  nearly  approached,  but  found  further  progress 


LIFE   OF    GE2s"ERAL    MITCHEL.  251 

impossible,  as  the  bridge  had  been  cut  by  the  enemy  on 
his  retreat.  This  fact  we  construe  into  a  clear  acknowl- 
edgment of  his  defeat. 

'^Although  these  events  are  thus  briefly  noted,  it 
required  upward  of  five  hours  of  impetuous  and  gallant 
fighting  to  accomplish  them.  At  no  one  time  was 
the  entire  field  of  combat  in  view  from  a  given  point, 
and  I  therefore  find  it  impossible  to  speak  in  detail 
of  the  operations  of  my  ovm  regiment.  Both  brigades 
participated  in  the  action,  and  both  Generals  Brannan  and 
Terry  were  constantly  under  fire,  leading  and  directing 
the  movements  of  their  men,  awakening  enthusiasm  by 
their  personal  bravery  and  the  skilful  manner  in  which 
they  manoeuvi'ed  their  commands.  Frequently,  while  the 
fight  was  progressing,  we  heard  the  whistles  of  the  rail- 
road trains,  notifying  us  of  reenforcements  for  the  rebels, 
both  from  Charleston  and  Savannah  ;  and  even  if  we  had 
had  facilities  for  crossing  the  river,  it  would  have  been 
unwise  to  have  made  the  attempt  in  view  of  these  cii'cum- 
stances.  General  Brannan  therefore  ordered  a  retreat, 
which  was  conducted  in  a  most  orderly  manner,  the  regi- 
ments retiring  in  successive  lines,  carrying  ofi"  their  dead 
and  wounded,  and  leaving  no  arms  or  ammunition  on  the 
field. 

"  Of  the  exact  force  of  the  rebels,  of  course  we  know 
nothing,  although  General  Brannan  was  of  the  opinion 
that  it  equalled  our  own.     Certainly  their  artillery  ex- 


252  LIFE   OF    GEXEEAL   MITCHEL. 

ceeded  ours  by  four  or  five  pieces,  and  this  we  have  from 
the  seven  prisoners  taken,  one  of  whom,  "William  Judd, 
belonged  to  Company  B,  Second  South  Carolina  cavahy, 
whose  horse  was  also  captured.  The  prisoners  informed 
us  that  General  Beam'egard  commanded  in  person. 

"  While  these  events  were  taking  place  between  the 
main  forces  on  either  side,  Colonel  Barton,  of  the  Forty- 
eighth  New  York,  with  three  hundred  of  his  own  men 
and  fifty  of  the  Third  Rhode  Island  regiment,  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  J.  H.  Gould,  went  up  the  Coosahatchie 
River,  convoyed  by  the  Patroon,  to  within  two  miles  of 
the  town  of  the  same  name.  Landing  this  force  here,  a 
march  was  made  to  the  village  through  which  runs  the 
railroad.  Arrived  there,  they  commenced  tearing  up  the 
rails,  but  had  scarcely  engaged  in  the  work  when  a  long 
train  of  cars  came  from  the  direction  of  Savannah,  filled 
with  troops.  This  train  was  fired  into  by  our  party,  kill- 
ing the  engineer  and  a  number  of  others.  Several  soldiers 
jumped  from  the  cars  while  they  were  in  motion,  and 
were  wounded.  One  was  taken  prisoner — ^thirty  muskets 
were  captured,  and  colors  of  the  Whippy  Swamp  Guards 
taken  from  the  color-bearer,  who  was  killed  by  our  fire. 
The  work  of  tearing  up  the  rails  was  not  accomplished  in 
time  to  prevent  the  onward  progress  of  the  train,  and  our 
men  afterward  completed  the  job — also  cutting  the  tele- 
graph, and  bringing  away  a  portion  of  the  wire  with 
them. 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MTTCHEL.  253 

"  Colonel  Barton  next  attempted  to  reach  the  rail- 
road bridge,  for  the  purpose  of  firing  it,  but  was  unable, 
as  it  was  protected  by  a  battery  of  three  guns.  Fearing 
that  his  retreat  might  be  cut  off  by  the  enemy's  cavalry, 
he  gave  the  order  to  retire  to  the  steamboat,  which  was 
done  successfully.  His  men  had  nearly  aU  embarked 
when  the  cavalry  boldly  came  directly  under  the  guns 
of  the  Planter  and  Patroon,  and  fired  upon  both  steamers. 
A  few  rounds  of  canister  dispersed  them,  and  the  only 
damage  which  they  inflicted  was  the  serious  wounding  of 
Lieutenant  J.  M.  Blanding,  of  the  Third  Rhode  Island 
artillery. 

"  Nearly  all  Wednesday  night  was  passed  in  bringing 
the  wounded  from  the  battle-field  and  placing  them  upon 
the  transports.  This  humane  work  was  personally  super- 
intended by  General  Terry  and  Brigade  Quartermaster 
Coryell,  of  General  Brannan's  staff.  As  fast  as  the  boats 
were  filled  they  returned  to  Hilton  Head,  and  by  Thurs- 
day night  the  whole  force  had  reembarked.  Before  our 
last  regiment  left  Mackay's  Point  the  enemy's  pickets  had 
reappeared,  but  not  in  sufficient  force  to  molest  us. 

"  Scarcely  five  minutes  after  the  first  engagement  be- 
gan, wounded  men  were  brought  to  the  rear.  Surgeon 
Bailey,  the  Medical  Director  at  Beaufort,  who  accom- 
panied the  expedition,  estabhshed  a  hospital  almost  under 
fire,  by  the  roadside,  beneath  the  shade  of  the  stately  pine 
woods,  with  Surgeons  Merritt,  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Pennsyl- 


254  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL   MITCHEL. 

vania,  and  McClellan,  of  tlie  Sixth  Connecticut,  and  tliese 
gentlemen  soon  "had  their  energies  taxed  to  the  uttermost. 
It  was  a  spectacle  to  make  one  shudder  as  the  poor  fel-> 
lows,  wounded  and  dying,  were  emptied  from  the  ambu- 
lances upon  the  green  sward. 

"  A  striking  instance  of  heroism  came  under  my  obser- 
vation. During  the  thickest  of  the  fight.  Artificer  Zincks, 
of  Henry's  battery,  seized  a  shell  which  had  fallen  into 
our  ammunition-box,  and  threw  it  into  a  ditch,  where  it 
exploded,  seriously  wounding  him.  Had  it  not  been  for 
his  bravery  and  presence  of  mind,  the  most  serious  conse- 
quences might  have  ensued.  Lieutenant  Henry's  horse 
was  shot  under  him,  and  the  shell  that  killed  the  animal 
also  killed  one  man  and  wounded  five  others.  It  is  a  sin- 
gular fact  that  Lieutenant  Gettings,  of  the  Third  United 
States  artillery,  whose  section  also  did  good  service  in  the 
fight,  also  lost  one  man  killed  and  five  wounded  by  the 
explosion  of  a  single  shell.  Lieutenant  Gettings  himself 
was  wounded  in  the  ankle. 

"  Three  howitzers  from  the  Wabash,  under  command 
of  Lieutenant  Phoenix  and  Ensigns  Wallace  and  Larned, 
accompanied  the  land  forces,  and  won  a  great  deal  of 
praise  for  gallantry  and  effective  firing.  Young  WallacG 
was  sent  by  General  Terry  to  cover  the  retreat  from 
Pocotaligo  bridge,  which  he  handsomely  accomplished 
He  had  delivered  two  rounds  of  grape  into  the  enemy's 
ranks,  when  a  shower  of  rifle-balls  were  sent  against  him, 


LIFE   OF    GENEKAL   MITCHEL.  255 

wounding  three  of  his  men  and  perforating  his  own 
clothes.  The  heroic  young  fellow  was  then  ordered  to 
retire,  which  he  reluctantly  did,  after  vainly  asking-  per- 
mission to  fire  another  round. 

"  The  rebels  left  fifteen  or  twenty  of  their  dead  on  the 
field,  and  the  inference  is  that  their  loss  must  have  been 
severe,  or  they  would  have  had  time  to  remove  all  in 
their  successive  retreats.  Two  caissons  filled  with  am- 
munition were  captured  from  the  enemy  during  the  second 
battle.  Our  own  supply  of  ammunition  at  this  time  having, 
been  well-nigh  exhausted,  this  proved  very  opportune. 

"  Although  the  main  object  of  the  expedition  failed  of 
success,  yet  the  benefits  conferred  were  not  of  trifling 
value.  We  have  made  a  thorough  reconnoissance  of  the 
heretofore  unknown  Broad  River  and  its  tributaries,  and 
ascertained  the  character  of  the  country,  which  is  knowl- 
edge of  immense  importance,  in  view  of  future  movements 
in  that  direction.  We  have  also  demonstrated  the  neces- 
sity of  heavy  reenforcements  if  the  Government  desire 
General  Mitchel  to  strike  heavily  in  his  department." 

But  in  nothing  was  his  Christian  philanthropy  and  pa- 
triotism more  conspicuous  than  in  his  attention  to  the 
great  work  of  taking  care  of  the  "  contrabands"  gathered 
by  thousands  within  his  department.  Their  physical 
wants  were  supplied,  their  education  provided  fiSr,  and 
religious  instruction  furnished  them.  He  knew  the  affec- 
tionate  regard   of  these    simple-hearted    refugees   from 


260  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

slavery,  wHcli  has  been  recently  warmly  expressed  in 
naming  a  new  settlement  and  headquarters  of  operations 
in  their  behalf,  Mitclielville — in  memory  of  the  generous 
and  benevolent  chief  of  the  department,  whose  loss  they 
will  never  cease  to  mourn. 

A  careful  observer  of  passing  events  at  Beaufort,  al- 
ready quoted,  added  the  following  testimony  respecting 
the  emancipated  slaves,  whose  prospects  so  deeply  inter- 
ested the  departed  chief : 

"  Yesterday  completed  a  year  since  the  flashing  broad- 
sides of  the  Wabash  and  the  gunboats  were  echoed  from 
the  fortifications  guarding  either  side  of  the  bay.  The  re- 
currence of  the  day  leads  me  to  review  the  results  of  the 
past  year  in  this  department. 

"  Even  those  most  hopeful  for  the  future  of  the  Afri- 
cans have  not  been  able  to  repress  a  fear  that  when  they 
were  released  from  the  immediate  pressure  of  the  lash,  a 
motive  to  industry  would  be  wanting,  and  that  indolence, 
dependence,  misery,  and  degradation  would  result  on  a  scale 
unparalleled  in  history.  The  past  year  of  the  department 
has  gone  far  to  solve  the  problem.  The  negroes  have 
been  placed  under  circumstances  the  most  unfavorable. 
Their  industry  has  been  interrupted  by  removals  and 
evacuations.  They  have  by  no  means  been  secure  of 
having  the  avails  of  their  labor.  Not  unfrequently  their 
crops  have  been  pillaged  by  lawless  soldiers.  And  yet 
under  all  these  disadvantages,  the  negroes  working  on 


LIFE    OF    GENEEAL    MITCHEL.  2;jT 

tlieii*  plantations  and  in  the  quartermaster's  department 
have  shown  a  readiness,  an  activity,  an  efficiency,  varying 
indeed  with  the  skill,  energy,  and  adaptation  possessed  by 
the  persons  appointed  to  oversee  their  labor,  yet  on  the 
whole  affording  much  encouragement.  Under  the  wise 
arrangement  made  by  General  Mitchel,  all  of  the  work  of 
getting  out  the  timber  and  constructing  the  buildings  of 
the  new  negro  quarters  was  done  by  the  negroes  them- 
selves. It  was  a  most  gratifying  spectacle  to  see  them, 
morning  and  evening,  going  to  their  toil  or  returning 
home,  with  the  saw  and  the  axe  and  the  spade  upon  their 
shoulders.  Many  of  the  difficulties  which  must  attend  the 
passage  of  a  people  from  bondage  to  fi.*eedom  are  being 
met  and  removed,  and  suggestions  are  furnished  as  to  the 
best  method  of  procedure  in  future. 

"  One  of  the  superintendents,  who  unites  with  this 
office  that  of  a  pastor  among  the  negroes,  told  me  lately 
that,  finding  that  the  great  body  of  the  people  had  never 
been  married,  he  had  been  marrying  not  only  couples 
new^ly  joined,  but  those  who  for  years  had  been  just 
"  living  together."  Also  finding  that  many  of  the  people 
had  of  theu'  own  "vntH  dissolved  their  former  ties,  he  had 
represented  to  General  Saxton  the  need  of  having  a  regu- 
lar tribunal  to  act  in  cases  of  this  kind,  and  to  decree  or 
refuse  divorces  as  it  deemed  best.  Accordingly  the  Gen- 
eral, acting  as  Governor,  has  instituted  a  Commission  for 
tliis  purpose.     Thus,  one  by  one,  the  questions  which 


258  LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

must  hereafter  arise  upon  a  vast  scale  are  met,  considered, 
adjudicated,  within  the  narrow  limits  of  this  department. 
And  whenever  the  time  shall  come  (may  God  hasten  it  I) 
that  the  millions  of  Africans  shall  be  raised  into  enfran- 
chisement, then  the  rulers,  the  philanthropists,  to  whom 
the  honorable  but  herculean  task  shall  be  committed  of 
molding  their  new-born  liberty  into  the  forms  of  life,  will 
find  their  safest,  most  invaluable  guidance  in  the  history 
of  the  enfranchised  people  of  Port  Royal. 

,  "  Lately,  a  new  question,  much  disputed,  has  advanced 
toward  a  solution  among  uS' — -the  question  of  the  possi- 
bility of  making  soldiers  of  the  negroes.  The  expedition 
by  the  Darlington  returned,  having,  without  any  loss,  ac- 
complished ail  its  objects  successfully,  and  bringing  away 
sixty  contrabands.  Of  course,  the  most  important  result 
achieved  was  the  proof  afforded  of  the  capacity  of  the 
negro  race  for  warlike  exploits,  and  the  encouragement 
given  to  themselves.  Their  courage  was  put  beyond  a 
peradventure.  When  ordered  to  take  to  the  boats,  for  the 
purpose  of  effecting  a  landing,  they  would  leap  into  them" 
with  an  alacrity  which  nothing  could  exceed.  When  en- 
gaged in  the  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  they  could  with 
difficulty  be  kept  under  cover  of  the  stockade  erected 
around  the  boat.  They  would  stand  out  on  the  spar-deck, 
loading  and  firing,  till  ordered  by  their  officers  to  go  in. 

"  The  captain  of  the  gunboat  Potomska,  who  accom- 
panied  the  expedition,  has  written  a  letter  paying   the 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCIIEL.  259 

Strongest  tribute  to  the  soldierly  qualities  displayed  by 
them. 

"  THE  NEGEO  IS  OUR  ^VALUABLE  AND  OUR  NATURAL  ALLY. 

"  It  was  a  negro  who  saved  the  expedition  from  utter 
failure,  and  the  troops  from  probable  ruin.  On  reaching 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  John's  River,  it  appears  that  there 
was  no  way  for  the  troops  to  get  in  the  rear  of  the  battery 
on  the  Bluff,  except  by  marching  for  forty  miles  around  the 
head  of  Pablo  and  Mount  Pleasant  Creeks.  They  must 
carry  their  rations,  and  the  sick  or  weary  must  be  left  by 
the  roadside  to  be  murdered  by  the  guerrillas  of  the  enemy. 
The  troops  would  reach  the  scene  of  action  utterly  ex- 
hausted, and  if  defeated,  would  be  likely  to  be  annihilated. 
Yet  there  was  no  alternative,  and  the  order  for  the  desper- 
ate march  was  given. 

"  But  about  midnight,  a  negro  came  from  shore  and 
told  the  general  of  a  point  of  land  where  the  troops  might 
land  with  ease  and  safety,  and  by  a  march  of  some  eight 
or  ten  miles  would  reach  a  spot  where  they  could  cover 
the  landing  of  cavalry  and  artillery,  and  from  thence  by  a 
march  of  four  miles  could  reach  the  battery  from  the  rear. 
He  described  the  roads,  and  gave  all  needful  informa- 
tion as  to  the  topogTaphy  of  the  region  with  perfect  clear- 
ness and  absolute  accuracy.  His  advice  was  adopted ; 
the .  enemy  found  themselves  assailed  from  a  side  where 
they  had  not  d^'eamed  of  attack,  and  fied  precipitately. 


260  LIFE   OF    GEXERAL    MITCHEL. 

We  owe  the  bloodless  victory  of  St.  Jolin's  Bluff,  and  the 
opening  of  St.  John's  River,  to  the  bravery  and  intelli- 
gence of  a  negro  (no  longer,  thank  God,  a  slave). 

"  And  they  are  our  natural,  unbought  allies.  They 
know  by  instinct  that  there  is  friendship  between  us,  and  that 
the  rebels  are  their  enemies.  For  example  :  I  was  walk- 
ing through  one  of  the  streets  of  Jacksonville,  about  half- 
past  seven  o'clock  on  Monday  evening,  when  a  mulatto  wo- 
man said  to  me  :  '  Sir,  I  think  that  General  Finnigan  went 
down  that  street  just  now.'  [General  F.  was  the  com- 
mander of  the  rebel  forces  in  Florida,  and  had  charge  of 
the  battery.]  She  poiQted  down  a  cross  road,  where  the 
forms  of  two  persons  were  seen  vanishing  in  the  thicken- 
ing darkness.  Alone  and  unarmed,  I  could  only  summon 
the  patrol,  and  in  the  delay  the  suspected  persons  escaped. 
But  the  incident  shows  the  ready  trust  they  place  in  us, 
and  their  willuigness  to  serve  us. 

"  We  brought  away  some  five  hundred  to  six  hundred 
contrabands  from  Jacksonville  and  vicinity.  A  very  in- 
telligent man,  a  resident  of  Jacksonville,  said  to  me : 
'  The  people  will  be  ruined — they  will  be  helpless.  Here 
are  men  who  have  been  supported  by  the  wages  their 
negroes  have  earned.  Now  the  negi-oes  are  going  away. 
How  will  they  live?  Next  spring,  when  it  is  time  to 
plant,  who  will  do  the  work?'  I  saw  a  very  intelligent 
negro,  property  of  Rev.  Mr.  Duval,  Methodist  minister 
in  Jacksonville.     The  man  is  a  dra"\Tnan.     He  used  to 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  261 

bring  in  to  the  reverend  owner  from  $3  to  87  a  day. 
Is'ow  he  is  gone,  Rev.  Mr.  D.  must  henceforth  '  live  of 
the  Gospel.' 

"  Speaking  of  slaveholding  divines,  reminds  me  of  a 
reply  which  amused  me  very  much.  On  James  Island,  I 
employed  a  negro  who  came  from  a  place  not  far  fi-om 
Charleston.  I  asked  him  what  was  his  master's  name. 
He  replied :  '  His  name  ?  Parson  Prentiss,  su\'  '  Oh,  he 
was  a  parson,  was  he  ?  and  what  was  his  persuasion  ? '  I 
inquii'ed.  'His  persuasion?  Oh,  he  Kck  um  studdy 
(steady),  sir,'  was  his  reply.  A  tolerably  extensive 
branch  of  the  Church  South,  is  it  not  ? 

"  In  Jacksonville,  many  families  were  utterly  desti- 
tute. An  officer,  in  charge  of  a  picket  post  in  the  town, 
heard  a  gii'l,  waking  at  midnight,  cry  for  food,  but  the 
mother  had  none  to  give  the  child.  The  next  day  he  car- 
ried to  the  house  a  box  of  bread  and  a  pail  of  rice.  In 
many  houses  there  was  literally  nothing  to  eat.  The  in- 
habitants said  that  prices  were,  for  corn  meal,  from  $1.50 
to  $2  a  bushel ;  salt,  50  cents  a  quart ;  sugar  $1  a  pound. 
Fresh  beef  is  very  cheap,  because  there  is  no  way  of  pre- 
serving it. 

"  In  one  of  the  camps  at  St.  John's  Bluff,  envelopes 
were  found  cut  out  with  scissors  from  the  unused  leaves 
of  a  ledger,  with  the  ruled  lines  and  the  dollar-and-cent 
columns. 

"  In  Jacksonville,  I  saw  a  girl  making  envelopes.     She 


262  LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

laid  an  old  envelope,  opened  and  spread  out  fiat,  on  a  piece 
of  common  wallpape)-,  and  cut  out  the  envelopes,  using  the 
old  one  as  a  pattern.  Surely,  it  is  a  paper  blockade, 
isn't  it  ? 

"'  One  incident,  illustrating  the  value  of  the  Confed- 
erate currency,  v^as  told  me  by  an  intelligent  refugee,  as 
having  occurred  some  months  ago.  A  shoemaker  had 
made  a  pair  of  boots,  for  which  he  charged  his  customer 
$23.  The  buyer  counted  out  the  moneiy  in  Confederate 
notes,  and  then  put  down  a  $10  gold  piece,  giving  him  hJs 
choice.     He  took  the  810. 

"  Some  time  since,  General  Terry,  who  commands  the 
Department  of  Foit  Pulaski,  vSt.  Augustine,  Femandina, 
Key  West,  and  Toilugas,  when  in  St.  Augustine  was 
beset  by  a  woman,  who  complained  that  her  negro  had 
been  released,  and  who  demanded  his  restoration  and  re- 
enslavement.  She  was  an  English  woman,  she'^aid,  and 
the  Government  had  no  right  to  interfere  with  her  prop- 
erty. She  came  from  the  British  TTest  Indies,  and 
brought  this  negro  slave  with  her. 

"  '  Had  not  slavery  been  abolished  in  the  British  West 
Indies  before  you  left  there?'  asked  the  general. 

"  '  No,'  she  replied,  with  great  sharpness.  '  I  came 
in  1831,  long  before  the  emancipation.' 

"  '  Ah,  you  came  in  1831  ?'  asked  the  general. 

"  '  Yes,  in  1831.' 

''  '  And  are  you  aware,  madam,  that  in  1808  Congress 


LIFE   OF    GENERAL   :^^TCHEL.  263 

passed  a  law  making  it  an  act  of  piracy,  punishable  with 
death,  to  bring  a  person  into  this  country  with  a  view  of 
retaining  him  in  slavery?' 

"  The  female  slave  hunter  did  not  press  her  claim 
further." 

General  Mitchel,  when  alluding  to  the  contrabands 
not  long  before  his  death,  remarked,  that  among  the  most 
grateful  memories  of  the  past,  was  the  one  of  a  yrayer- 
meeting  held  by  them,  which  he  attended.  Their  unaffect- 
ed worship — their  faith  and  love,  breathing  the  very  spirit 
of  Christianity,  affected  him,  and  his  adoration  rose  with 
theirs  to  the  God  and  Father  of  all.  He  knew  that  many 
of  those  just  now  "  goods  and  chattels  personal,"  would 
stand  beneath  the  dome  of  unclouded  light,  and  study 
with  him  the  works  of  Providence  and  grace  forever. 

October  26th  he  was  seized  with  the  yellow  fever. 
For  a  time  no  serious  apprehensions  were  felt.  Indeed, 
when  the  crisis  of  the  disease  was  reached,  the  symptoms 
were  pronounced  favorable.  The  perspiration  was  free, 
and  the  physician  left  him  with  confident  anticipations  of 
his  recovery.  But  the  recent  death  of  his  devoted  wife, 
his  exile  from  the  cherished  "\Yest,  and  the  entire  field  of 
decisive  conflict,  and  the  then  threatening  aspect  of  the 
national  struggle  for  existence — all  depressed  him,  and 
made  recovery  to  his  Christian  heart  of  little  consequence 
beyond  the  will  of  God.     He  was  resigned  to  do  and  to 


264  LITE    OF   GEXEEAL   MTTCHEL. 

suffer  all  that  was  required  by  loyalty  to  the  "  King  im- 
mortal and  invisible." 

This  indifference  to  earthly  scenes,  apart  from  their 
relation  to  a  higher  love  and  activity,  made  him  uncon- 
sciously less  careful  to  guard  against  exposure  of  his  sen- 
sitive frame,  than  he  otherwise  might  have  been.  A  re- 
lapse assumed  immediately  an  alarming  type. 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 

The  Scenes  of  the  Sick-Eoom— The  kind  and  Christian  words  spoken— The  Vic- 
torious Death— The  Burial— The  testimony  of  noble  Friends— Elegy. 

^^^nHE  thirtieth  dawned.  By  the  bedside  stood  his 
1*^  ^  grieving  friend  watching  every  expression  of  the 
dying  face.  Raising  his  fine  eye,  and  extending 
his  hand,  he  said,  "  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  have 
a  Christian's  hope  in  a  time  like  this."  The  as- 
sent was  given,  with  "  dim  eyes  suffused  with  tears."  An 
hour  passed  in  silent  waiting  on  the  undisputed  work  of 
death's  angel,  who  had  taken  from  all  human  interposi- 
tion the  illustrious  captive,  even  then  "  more  than  con- 
queror" over  all  mortal  and  spiritual  foes.  Again  the 
expressive  orbs  which  had  reflected  unnumbered  stars, 
opened,  and  his  feebler  hand  beckoned  his  friend  to  his 
side.  Pressing  tenderly  the  palm,  he  said  again  :  "  You 
must  not  stay  longer ;  go  now,  and  come  to  me  in  the 
morning." 

At  this  moment  Major  Birch,  whose  devotion  to  his 
12 


266  LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   iniCHEL. 

general  had  been  warm  and  constant,  entered  tlie  apart- 
ment in  an  agony  of  sorrow.  He  liad  written,  at  General 
Mitchel's  dictation,  liis  "  last  will  and  wishes."  He  led 
to  the  couch  the  Rev.  Mr.  Strickland,  and  beckoned  the 
friend  present  to  follow.  After  a  few  words  to  the  clergy- 
man, he  said,  "  Kneel  down."  The  prayer  was  offered, 
amid  a  stillness  of  grief  too  deep  for  any  other  language 
than  the  subdued  utterance  of  the  soul  to  the  "  Captain 
of  Salvation."  When  the  company  rose  from  prayer,  his 
affectionate  glance  once  more  sought  his  friend,  and  he 
murmured,  while  his  hand  was  laid  in  the  one  so  often 
pressed,  "  You  can  do  me  no  good  ;  do  not  stay." 

No  cloud  was  on  the  splendid  intellect,  nor  on  the  pros- 
pect beyond  the  starry  darkness  soon  to  curtain  the  form*of 
the  once  loving  gazer  into  its  depths.  At  that  moment 
two  sons  who  were  upon  his  staff,  were  sick  with  the  same 
disease,  and  could  not  be  permitted  to  know  that  the  father 
was  dying,  and  hear  his  last  words,  lest  it  should  be  fatal 
to  them.  As  he  reached  the  eternal  gates,  reason  at  times 
wandered.  The  last  clear  words  of  triumph  were  :  "I 
am  ready  to  go."  The  latest  unshadowed  glance  of  the 
princely  soul  rested  on  Eev.  Mr.  Strickland  ;  and  when  he 
came  near,  speech  was  lost ;  but  tmce  he  raised  his  hand 
and  pointed  upward ! 

In  four  short  days  the  manly  and  vigorous  form  which 
had  borne  all  pressure  of  care,  had  sunk  under  the  scourge 
of  the  southern  latitudes,  and  lay  in  the  evening  quiet, 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   ISIITCHEL.  267 

cold,  and  still.  The  splendid  tenant  redeemed,  and 
crowned  in  the  skies,  was  stretching  its  tireless  pinions  in 
the  glory  of  the  Infinite  !  The  generous,  loyal  heart  had 
ceased  to  throb  for  human  wrong-doing  and  suffering, 
and  was  pouring  the  tide  of  its  strong  affections  around 
Messiah's  throne.  The  vision  which  had  been  so  often 
and  much  among  the  stars,  was  satisfied  with  the  shadow- 
less canopy  of  unveiled  splendor  above  the  thrones  of 
light ! 

Since  this  record  of  his  death  and  burial  was  written, 
I  have  seen  a  letter  written  the  day  of  the  funeral,  which 
cannot  fail  to  interest  you  : 

"  Post  Royal,  S.  C,  October  31. 

"  Last  evening  the  announcement  reached  Hilton 
Head,  '  Major-General  Mitchel  died  at  a  quarter-past  six 
this  evening.'  It  is  impossible  to  convey  to  any  one  out- 
side of  the  department  the  overwhelming  sensation  of 
grief  and  gloom  that  this  news  created.  Every  one,  in 
every  station,  feels  that  he  has  lost  a  personal  friend,  in 
whose  brilliant  exploits  he  felt  an  intense  pride  ;  that  the 
department  has  lost  one  who  was  the  tower  of  its  strength 
and  safety ;  and  that  the  country  has  lost  a  general  to  ' 
whom  no  superior  is  left  behind.  Truly,  in  the  grand, 
touching  words  of  Isaiah :  '  It  is  as  when  a  standard- 
bearer  faint  eth.' 

"  To-day  I  have  attended  his  funeral  at  Beaufort. 


268  LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL. 

The  procession  moved  from  Hospital  No.  2  to  the  Epis- 
copal church,  the  paU  being  borne  by  Admiral  Dupont, 
Brigadier-generals  Brannan  and  Saxton,  and  other  naval 
and  military  officers  of  high  rank.  At  the  church  and  at 
the  grave,  the  service  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  read  by  Rev.  Dr.  Strickland,  chaplain  of  the  Forty- 
eighth  New  York,  an  old  friend  of  the  general.  I  re- 
gretted that  there  was  not  something  beside  the  reading 
of  the  service — some  word  of  prayer  or  remark  suggested 
by,  and  growing  out  of,  the  occasion.  It  seemed  as  if 
every  one  present  must  long  to  hear  and  join  in  an  ex- 
pression of  the  emotions  of  admiration  for  the  dead,  of 
grief  for  his  departm'e,  which  bui'dened  every  heart.  It 
was  remembered  with  overwhelming  emotion  that  two 
weeks  ago  he  had  summoned  together  all  the  officers  at 
the  post,  to  meet  him  in  this  church,  and  had,  in  a  familiar 
address,  animate  with  patriotism,  spoken  to  them  of  his 
policy,  and  cheered  them  to  the  faithfal  discharge  of  their 
duties  to  the  country.  Alas  !  no  more  will  that  clear  eye 
flash  with  the  instinct  of  genius  and  patriotism ;  no  more 
will  that  ringing  voice,  which  seemed  to  emulate  the 
resonance  and  the  strength  of  the  steel  by  his  side,  call  us 
to  duty  and  to  glory.  In  the  very  spot  where  so  lately 
he  stood  and  spoke,  now  his  body  rested,  enveloped  in  the 
flag  he  loved  so  well, 

"  Chaplain  Strickland,  who,  at  the  request  of  the  gen- 
eral, came  from  Fort  Pulaski  to  spend  the  last  hours  with 


LIFE   OF   GEXEEAL   MITCHEL.  269 

him,  informs  me  that  he  was  not  only  calm  and  resigned, 
but  triumphant  in  the  hopes  of  redemption.  When  his 
speech  had  failed,  his  eyes  were  turned  upward,  and  he 
pointed  toward  heaven.  It  was  an  hour  of  triumph  for 
him,  but  of  sadness  for  us.  God  grant  that  his  vision, 
illumined  by  the  radiance  of  immortality,  may  have  dis- 
cerned for  our  country  some  prospects  of  brightness,  of 
happiness,  and  of  liberty,  hidden  as  yet  from  us. 

"  He  died  as  he  had  lived ;  for  he  was  not  alone  a 
general,  but  a  Christian.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Cincinnati,  formerly  under 
the  charge  of  Dr.  Beecher ;  and  his  life  and  spirit  were 
in  harmony  with  this  profession.  It  was  faith  in  God 
which  sustained  him  amid  the  perils  which  he  saw  sur- 
rounding the  nation.  He  said  to  the  writer  a  few  weeks 
ago,  '  I  am  not  troubled.  I  am  standing  on  a  rock.  I 
have  absolute  confidence  in  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God.  He  may  indeed  leave  the  country  a  prey  to  disas- 
ter. But  I  do  not  believe  that  He  will,  for  then  it  would 
be  of  no  use  to  contend  against  such  a  result.  Rather,  I 
believe  that  He  wiU  bring  it  out  of  aU  its  perils  into  peace 
and  liberty.' 

"  Among  the  many  saddening  attendants  of  the  late 
bereavement  was  the  fact  that  the  general's  two  sons, 
prostrated  by  the  same  disease  which  had  proved  fatal  to 
him,  were  ignorant  of  his  death,  not  being  in  a  condition 
to  bear  the  shock  of  the  announcement.     It  will  be  re- 


270  LIFE   OF    GENESAL   MITCHEL. 

membered  that  shortly  after  he  offered  his  services  to  the 
Government,  and  left  his  home  for  the  seat  of  war,  his 
w^ife  died  suddenly,  overwhelmed  with  solicitude  in  his 
behalf  and  with  sorrow  over  his  absence.  Surely,  no  one 
among  us  has  made  such  unparalleled  sacrifices  at  the 
altar  of  liberty,  of  humanity,  of  the  country  with  whose 
destiny  he  believed  the  interests  of  humanity  to  be  insep- 
arably linked." 

Wrote  another  on  that  sad  day  at  Port  Eoyal :  "  He 
said  to  his  attendant  physician  Wednesday  morning :  '  I 
have  tried  for  thirty  years  to  live  the  life  of  a  Christian, 
and  if  God  wills,  I  am  prepared  to  go.'  He  was  perfectly 
sensible  until  v^ithin  a  few  hours  of  his  death,  but  talked 
very  little,  and  though  his  two  sons  were  in  the  chambers 
above  him,  he  did  not  ask  for  them.  Doubtless  he  real- 
ized the  impossibility  of  seeing  them,  and  forbore  to 
agitate  his  mind  by  speaking  of  them.  They  do  not  yet 
know  of  his  death. 

"As  it  was  known  to  many  that  I  had  been  called 
upon  to  assist  in  nursing  their  beloved  general,  I  was  ac- 
costed as  I  went  to  and  fro  (our  houses  being  separated 
only  by  an  alley  and  small  yard)  by  officers  and  privates 
to  know  of  his  condition  ;  and  when  at  last  I  was  com- 
pelled to  tell  them  there  was  no  hope,  it  was  wonderful  to 
see  the  love  they  bore  him.  Not  in  an  instance  did  one 
tm'n  away  with  an  indifferent  or  cold  remark.  '  He  was 
so  kind  to  us,'  said  one.     '  It  will  be  a  sad  blow  to  our 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL   MITCHEL.  271 

troops,'  said  another.  '  He  was  a  good  man,  and  good 
men  are  scarce  in  these  days,'  said  a  third.  '  God  help 
us,  and  send  us  another  of  his  like,'  ejaculated  an  old 
soldier  who  was  walking  -with,  a  heavy  basket  on  his 
shoulder,  as  he  passed  on,  the  tears  starting  from  his  eyes. 
More  than  one  said,  '  Ah  !  if  he  could  Kve,  and  some  of 
our  useless,  wicked  generals  be  taken.*  But  neither  love 
nor  hate  could  avail.  He  sleeps  the  sleep  that  knows  no 
waking. 

"  To-day  at  11  a.  M.  he  was  buried  with  military  hon- 
ors at  the  Episcopal  church  in  this  place.  Rev.  Dr. 
Strickland  officiated,  and  read  a  part  of  the  Episcopal 
service  and  the  90th  Psalm. 

"  Commodore  Dupoht  and  staff  were  in  attendance, 
General  Saxton  and  General  Brannan  and  suites,  and 
most  of  the  officers  of  the  regiments  stationed  at  this 
place. 

"  They  have  laid  the  last  remains  of  the  classic 
scholar,  the  earnest  seeker  after  scientific  truth,  the  elo- 
quent orator,  the  humble  Christian,  and  the  successful 
warrior,  in  a  sunny  spot  in  the  old  South  Carolina 
churchyard  at  Beaufort,  around  which  cluster  the  ever- 
sheltering  live  oaks,  there  to  repose  till  some  state  of  his 
adoption  shall  call  for  them,  to  do  them  such  honor  as 
belongs  only  to  the  generous,  true,  and  brave." 

Farewell,  thou  gifted,  saintly  man — "  lord  in  the  do- 
main of  thought" — patriot,  hero,  Christian  !     We  mourn 


272  LIFE   OF   GENEEAL    MITCHEL. 

because  so  few  like  thee  proclaim  the  dignity  and  worth 
of  fallen  humanitj  when  consecrated  by  the  grace  of 
Christ  to  science,  truth,  and  duty ! 

The  funeral  scene  of  the  departed  chief  was  solemn, 
and  deeply  impressive.  The  coffin  was  laid  under  "  the 
shadow  of  the  Episcopal  church  in  Beaufort,  S.  C,  near 
those  of  his  aide-de-camp.  Captain  Williams,  who  died 
two  days  before." 

I  shall  add  to  the  testimony  already  given  from  many 
sources,  in  regard  to  the  greatness  and  excellence  of  his 
character,  an  extract  from  a  note  received  from  a  grad- 
uate of  West  Point,  now  occupying  a  high  position,  who 
knew  him  well.  It  is  not  partial  eulogy,  but  the  calm 
utterance  of  an  appreciative  mind  and  heart,  though  be- 
longing to  another  religious  denomination  : 

"  My  later  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Mitchel  led  me  to 
the  conclusion  that  he  was  genial  and  hearty,  generous  to 
a  fault,  brave  as  a  lion,  earnest  and  enthusiastic.  A 
strong,  living,  steamlike  Christian  man.  As  an  orator, 
truly  extemporaneous,  he  had,  to  my  knowledge,  no 
equal.  As  a  soldier  he  combined  intelligence  with  char- 
acter, and  to  both  he  added  wonderful  energy.  He  was 
exceedingly  temperate  in  eating  and  drinking  :  indeed  the 
table  had  no  charms  for  him  but  those  which  sprung  from 
association  with  family  and  friends.  He  was  often  really 
hilarious  from  the  effect  of  natural,  not  artificial  spirits. 
He  Avas  a  man  with  a  very  large  heart.     What  he  loved, 


LIFE   OF   GENERAL   MITCHEL.  273 

he  loved  with  a  fervor  which  never  exhibited  itself  in 
words,  but  always  in  actions.  He  loved  his  family  better 
than  himself,  and  liis  devotion  to  his  wife  after  her  illness 
(paralysis),  was  truly  touching.  He  loved  his  friends 
with  such  simple,  single-hearted  affection,  that  they  formed 
a  brotherhood  of  association  around  him.  He  loved  his 
country  as  few  men  do,  even  in  these  days  of  self-devo- 
tion ;  and  he  loved  his  God  and  Church  with  such  fervor 
that  he  could  not  do  enough  for  the  good  cause  of  Christ." 

His  pastor  in  Albany,  Eev.  Dr.  Clark,  used  the  fol- 
lowing language  in  an  eloquent  discourse  upon  the  heroes 
that  city  had  sent  to  the  war : 

"  Of  the  citizens  of  Albany  who  offered  up  their  lives 
for  their  country  during  the  year  1862,  I  have  the  names 
of  twenty,  each  of  whom  deserves  an  extended  and 
earnest  tribute.  The  most  illustrious  in  this  company  is 
that  of  Ormsby  Macknight  Mitchel — a  name  dear  to 
many  hearts  here — one  who  formerly  worshipped  within 
these  walls,  but  who  to-day  worships  in  a  higher,  purer, 
more  glorious  temple.  General  Mitchel  was  distinguished 
in  so  many  departments,  that  I  am  unable  to  say  whether 
he  was  most  eminent  as  an  astronomer,  a  soldier,  or  a 
Christian.  He  certainly  presented,  in  a  most  happy 
union,  scientific  culture,  earnest  patriotism,  tender  hu- 
manity, and  devoted  piety.  His  intellect  moved  among 
the  stars,  and  caught  their  brilliancy.  His  thoughts  par- 
took of  their  harmony  and  grandeur.  His  discoveries 
12* 


274  LITE  OF  GENERAL   Mn'CHEL. 

and  contributions  to  astronomical  science  are  alone  suffi- 
cient to  render  his  name  distinguished  in  the  annals  of 
American  literature.  His  popular  lectures  made  him  a 
favorite  with  all,  and  inspired  the  minds  of  the  people  with 
a  love  for  the  beauties  and  sublimities  of  astronomy,  and 
with  adoration  for  the  great  Creator  and  his  marvellous 
works.  He  has  left  here  an  apparatus  for  accurate  meas- 
urements which  bears  the  impress  of  his  great  mechanical 
skin.  But  it  is  with  the  mechanism  of  his  noble  heart, 
that  was  nicely  adjusted  to  measure  the  depths  of  human 
suffering ;  it  is  with  those  fine  chords  that  vibrated  to  the 
calls  of  patriotism  and  the  claims  of  his  country ;  it  is 
with  those  aspirations  that  nothing  but  the  truths  and 
glories  of  Christianity  could  satisfy,  that  we  are  chiefly 
interested.  General  Mitchell  had  a  soul  that  could  hear 
the  cries  of  humanity,  and  respond  by  toil  and  sacrifices 
for  the  helpless  and  unfortunate.  For  the  education  and 
happiness  of  the  freedmen  committed  to  his  charge  he  did 
what  he  could  ;  and  at  the  last  great  day,  many  of  the  re- 
cipients of  his  benevolence  will  be  ready  to  rise  up  and 
pronoimce  him  blessed.  At  the  moment  the  breath  left 
his  body,  science  lost  a  rare  ornament ;  the  army  mourned 
for  a  skilful  and  brave  soldier ;  humanity  wept  for  an 
earnest  defender  and  advocate  ;  and  the  Church  lost  a  true 
Christian  and  humble  follower  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
The  elegy  of  W.  F.  Williams  on  his  death,  is  a 
touching  tribute : 


LIFE  OF  GEITEEAL   MTTCHEL.  276 

"  MITCHEL. 

^ Hung  he  the  lieavens  in  llach* 

His  mighty  life  was  burned  away 

By  Carolina's  fiery  sun  ; 
The  pestilence  that  walks  by  day 

Smote  hun  before  his  course  seemed  run. 

The  constellations  of  the  sky, 

The  Pleiades  and  Southern  cross, 
Looked  sadly  down  to  see  him  die, 

To  see  a  nation  weep  his  loss. 

'  Send  him  to  us,'  the  stars  might  cry ; 

*  You  do  not  feel  his  worth  below ; 
Your  petty  great  men  do  not  try 

The  measure  of  his  mind  to  know. 

*  Send  him  to  us — ^this  is  his  place, 

Not  'mong  your  puny  jealousies ; 
You  sacrificed  him  in  your  race 

Of  envies,  strifes,  and  policies. 

'  His  eye  could  pierce  our  vast  expanse. 
His  ear  could  hear  our  morning  songs, 

His  mind  amid  our  mystic  dance 

Could  follow  all  our  myriad  throngs. 

'  Send  him  to  us  !  no  martyr's  soul. 

No  hero  slain  in  righteous  wars, 
No  raptured  saint  could  e'er  control 

A  holier  welcome  from  the  stars.' 


276  LITE   OF  GEN-EEAL  MTTCHEL. 

Take  Mm  ye  stars  !  take  him  on  bigh, 
To  your  vast  realms  of  boundless  space 

But  once  he  turned  from  you  to  try 
His  name  on  mortal  scrolls  to  trace. 

That  once  was  when  his  country's  call 
Said  danger  to  her  flag  was  nigh, 

And  then  that  banner's  stars  dimmed  all 
The  radiant  Ughts  which  gemmed  the  sky. 

Take  him,  loved  orbs !    His  country's  life, 
Freedom  for  all — for  these  he  wars  ; 

For  these  he  welcomed  bloody  strife. 
And  followed  hi  the  wake  of  Mars ! " 


NOTE.  277 


NOTE. 


Nothing  will  more  forcibly  show  the  depth  of  treason 
which  gave  birth  to  the  great  Rebellion,  than  the  oath 
taken  by  every  cadet  upon  entering  the  Military  Academy 
at  West  Point.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  nearly  all 
the  leaders  in  the  revolt  were  graduates  of  this  institution. 
Jefferson  Davis,  as  already  stated  in  the  biography,  was 
a  classmate  of  General  Mitchel. 

The  cadets  have  been  largely  from  the  South.  The 
result  was,  when  the  officers  of  the  army  and  navy  re- 
signed their  positions  to  join  the  ranks  of  treason,  they 
famished  a  larger  number  of  commanders  educated  for 
the  service  at  the  expense  of  the  United  States,  than 
were  left  to  defend  the  Republic. 

The  following  is  the  oath  deliberately  broken,  and  its 
national  character  denied  and  scorned  by  Davis,  Beaure- 
gard, Lee,  and  other  master  spirits  in  the  unexampled 
rebellion  against  constitutional  law  and  order : 

"  I  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States,  and  bear  true  allegiance  to 
the.  national  Government ;  that  I  will  maintain  and  de- 
fend the  sovereignty  of  the  United  States  paramount  to 


2T8  NOTE. 

any  and  all  allegiance,  sovereigntj,  or  fealty  I  may  owe 
to  any  State  or  Country  whatsoever  ;  and  that  I  will  at 
all  times  obey  the  legal  orders  of  my  superior  officers,  and 
the  rules  and  articles  governing  the  armies  of  the  United 
States." 


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No.  /  7y/  Sect.    /3-       Shelf_ 
CONTENTS 


Lincoln  National  Life  Foundation 
Collateral  Lincoln  Library 


7/  Z009  0%^  0  6  3i